Brass Casing's Battle Royale Adventure

>You are a female unicorn
>You are chaotic good
>You are a level 6 adventurer; level 3 Gunslinger, level 1 Alchemist, level 1 Rogue, level 1 Barbarian (savage technologist archetype)
>You made yourself a firearm years ago when you first became an adventurer and it's served you to this day. In the years since then you've become better at using it, but also dabble in explosives and alchemy, know how to hit somepony where it hurts and learned when it's best to run and when it's time to grit your teeth and stick it out in a fight.

>You are Brass Casing
>You're a female Unicorn with a brass colored coat and a coal black mane.
>Your cutie mark is a pistol over a pile of black powder.
>Most ponies don't know the secrets of ballistics, but you've figured them out.
>You've also figured out you're a pretty good shot.
>You wander around Equestria, eliminating problems before moving on to the next adventurer.
>Most never know you as more than a mysterious stranger.
>You're more than that, though.
>You're broke and hungry.
>Adventuring isn't the most reliable source of bits and breakfast and it seems most places around have had a dearth of problems.
>Good for them, but bad for business.
>Suddenly, it finds you
>A golden envelope fluttering through the air on gossamer wings, sealed by red wax.
>You don't recognize the signet used for the seal, but it seems... familiar.
>Furthermore, the space surrounding the envelope seems to stand still, all motion freezing around it except for you.
>It hovers in front of your eyes, and you feel compelled to open it.
>Inside is a letter, reading thusly:

“Greetings Adventurer,

I am Edwyn Ferengi, the Realitist. Perhaps you've heard of me. I and some of my associates are looking for bold, cunning, powerful entities to partake in a… test, of sorts. A contest of sorts as well. We're putting together the inaugural Snake Eyes Society Battle Royale, and you have been selected to participate, if you're interested.

Do not worry about traveling or contacting us, simply write “I accept” or similar upon this summons with the quill provided and we'll find you.

I do so hope you'll be joining in the fun.

Sincerely,
Edwyn Ferengi, Realitist,
Suzerain of the Snake Eyes Society”

>Also within the envelope is a quill.
>It's brilliant in plumage and tipped with fiery orange ink that glows like the embers of a campfire.
>You hadn't noticed it before reading the letter.
>Indeed it's dimensions seem impossible to have fit inside the envelope initially
>But that is of little concern to you right now.
>You find yourself holding the quill to the letter, the glowing tip pressed to the space provided for your reply.

>You write 'Does it come with a free room and meals? Either way, I haven't got anything else to do. I accept.'
>As you sign the letter you're surrounded by a brilliant golden light.
>The world shifts around you, your previous surroundings replaced by darkness, save for an intimate circle of illumination.
>The floor here, wherever “here” is, appears to be made of some sort of dark metal.
>You suddenly realize that your legs and horn are bound to the floor of this place by golden, glowing chains of light, and you can feel another pulling between your teeth like a bit.
>You're completely unable to move or speak, and you can feel your unicorn magic being suppressed.
>You notice others bound with similar chains of light.
>Strange, bipedal creatures, mostly hairless except various beards and manes on a few of them.
>Varying heights and sizes
>Some with animals at their side, similarly shackled in golden light.
>At the center of the illuminated area stands one of these creatures wearing gold robes and a bright blue turban adorned with a brilliant multicolored feather.
>He is unshackled and watches as more bound creatures appear in flashes of golden light to form a full circle.
>There are 12 of you bound in total.
>After a moment the being in the center walks around the circle, inspecting the captives one by one.
>“Hmm… I was hoping for a few more… no matter. This is an excellent showing for a first attempt. And it's their loss, anyway. They're going to miss out on all of the fun.”
>With that, he spins around and back into the center of the ring of prisoners.
>“Greetings friends! I am the Great and Powerful Edwyn Ferengi, Speaker of the Snake Eyes Society. I do sincerely apologize for any discomfort you may be feeling right now. I was against the chains, but the head of security for this event, Arch General Gramis, was quite insistent on taking every precaution with so many unknown variables in play.”
>“Speaking of play, I for one am *terribly* excited to be able to see this game begin. So much planning and making the invitations and creating the island, it's all so very exhilarating!”
>“And of course, there's all of you. The few, brave, proud adventurers who've agreed to sign up for this, the inaugural Snake Eyes Society Battle Royale. Such a wide array of skills and talents and abilities you all have. I'd be pleased as punch to have any one of you out questing on my behalf, but instead you're here, in the Snake Eye Sanctum, ready to go down to Snake Island and duke it out amongst yourselves for our amusement...”

>A figureless voice interrupts, echoing throughout the chamber.
>“You're rambling, Ferengi. Get to the point.”

>Edwyn stands up straight at the voice's interjection.
>“Y-yes Lord NecroMage.”
>He adjusts his robes and clears his throat before continuing.
>“I, Edwyn Ferengi, Speaker of the Society, humbly welcome each and every one of you to the Snake Eye Sanctum."
>"Within this realm your magic is suppressed and any attempts at violence will be prevented by an overwhelming, irresistible enchantment, resulting in terrible discomfort for the perpetrator. You'll notice that you are without weapons and armor."
>He glances sideways in your direction.
"Mostly,"
>You can't reach for or fire your pistol, but you can feel that you do still have it.
>"This is by design. We will supply you with the weapons, armor and gear you will have access to for the duration of the game, as per the rules established. The Game will take place on Snake Island and begin two days time. In the interim you will be given the opportunity to rest, select the equipment you will be using, learn what you can about the island in our library, and be given the chance to impress the Game Masters, who may bestow upon you a boon if you attract their favor.”

>Edwyn claps his hands twice in quick succession.
>“Acolytes! Take our wonderful participants to their rooms and see to it that they are comfortable and well accommodated.”
>Several figures wearing dark purple robes with hoods raised over their heads appear from the darkness around the shackled participants.
>They each raise a hand and the golden chains fly up and wrap around their wrists.
>As they walk away into the darkness and your chains pull taut, you feel compelled to follow them.
>It appears that each other captive feels the same.
>Edwyn shouts after the receding circle of participants
>“If any of you have any questions, feel free to simply ask."
>[We're always listening]
>The last sentence echoed not throughout the darkened chamber, but inside of your head.
>You can see nothing in the unnaturally dark chamber, and you hear nothing but the repetitive clanging footsteps of the acolyte and yourself.

>After a few minutes you are brought through a door into a dimly lit hallway.
>The walls, floor and low ceiling are all made out of the same dark metal.
>There are a series of dim red lights embedded in the ceiling.
>You pass by several doors on either side of you before stopping at one.
>The acolyte raises their hand that isn’t holding your chains and it glows with an eerie purple light.
>The door rises like a portcullis, but almost instantaneously.
>You are led inside the room by the acolyte, and the door closes automatically behind you.

>The room inside is palatial, decorated in soft blues, purples and pinks in a style not wholly unfamiliar to you.
>You've never stayed overnight in an Equestrian castle before, but if you had to imagine what the bedrooms looked like, this would be it.
>There's a huge four poster bed against one wall
>A balcony overlooking a tremendous forest
>And something odd on the wall opposite the bed.
>It looks like a large glass window but inside of it is only solid black darkness.
>The acolyte leads you to the center of the room and drops the lead of your chain.
>Wordlessly they turn to you and you can see that they’re wearing an emerald green mask with golden eyes and a wide, fanged smile impressed upon it.
>They bow to you before shuffling around you and back out the door, leaving you alone.
>After a few moments, the chains around your body and mouth shatter into particles of golden dust and evaporate.

"Okay, this was definitely a bad idea. Note to self, don't accept magical letters from ponies you don't know next time. They're always listening? Uh, where is the library?"

>As you speak, you hear a flat, feminine voice echo throughout the room, seemingly coming from the ceiling.
>"To access an area of the Sanctum, simply approach the door to your room and request it. If you have clearance, the portal will automatically adjust it's destination and open."

>You jump a little in surprise then hesitantly walk over to the door.
"Take me to the library?"

>The door opens.
>On the other side is a large open room with rows and rows of bookshelves organized in perpendicular lines.
>The library seems empty apart from a few acolytes, one of whom sits behind the front desk, sorting through a pile of books.
>She perks her head up as you enter.
>"Oh, BaSQUAWK, you must be Miss Casing?"
>She reaches beneath her desk and pulls out a large tome.
>"Master Ferengi left me instructions to give you this."
>The book is titled 'Races of the Multiverse: Biped Edition'
>"He said you wouldn't have much to offer the library in exchange, but you'd be at a terrible disadvantage figuring out what your opponents were capable of without this, BaCAW. Feel free to read it free of charge."
>She slides the tome over to you on her desk before going back to sorting through her pile of books.

"Wait, I was under the assumption that I could read any of these books for free. Ferengi said I could use my two days to learn about the island here, is that not true?"

>The Librarian looks up at you.
>"Only members of the Society can actually read the books in this library. Outsiders have to make an exchange of information."
>She adjusts her position in her chair, setting her book down as she reaches up for her mask.
>"Master Ferengi puts it best."
>The Librarian lifts her mask a bit and, seemingly as she does so, a large black beak protrudes from beneath her hood.
>The beak opens and stays open while it emits a voice that sounds almost exactly like Edwyn Ferengi's, accompanied by a faint hiss and a few popping sounds, although somewhat distant and with the acoustics of a wide, open space.

>"Libraries are curious things. You borrow the books, but you keep the knowledge contained within them forever. Hardly seems like a fair exchange. Here, things work a bit differently. I didn't become the richest man in the multiverse by giving things away."

>"Libraries are curious things. You borro-"

>She cuts the imitation off as it loops when she closes her beak, then gingerly replaces her mask as it recedes into her hood
>Or perhaps it's the other way around.
>She then resumes speaking in her own voice.
>"The full breadth of information about Snake Island itself isn't cataloged in the library yet, so anyone hoping to learn about it must leave a deposit in advance, CAW. The information will be transferred to them as it enters the shelves."
>She taps the book about bipeds.
>"But as I said, this one was signed for by Mr. Ferengi himself. Said it was to make the competition more sporting, BaCAW."

"What kind of payment is acceptable?"

>"Whatever you know can be used to acquire an equivalent amount of similar knowledge. If you wish to learn of Snake Island's animals, for example, the library will demand of you your own knowledge of animals. Simply go to the section you're interested in, find a blank book and attempt to read it, CAW."
>You nod and retrieve the book on Bipeds, walk back to the door and ask to enter your room.
>The tome is a lengthy read, but somehow you feel like you're learning the contents of the book faster than you're actually reading it.
>You now know that most of the beings you saw earlier, including Edwyn Ferengi, are called humans.
>One was a dwarf. Two were half elves. Two were gnomes. One was a halfling. One was a ratfolk.
>You can also tell they were not all from the same place.
>Their grooming habits and clothing were totally different from eachother.
>You suspect they're the other participants in this "game."
>Your stomach rumbles.
>So far it's looking like a pretty hungry game.

"What am I actually getting out of this? Riches to last a lifetime? Some artifact to help on future adventures? My life and freedom back?"

>The black window flashes to life, filling with the image of Edwyn Ferengi sitting in a golden room.
>"All three, if you do well enough. Although rest assured, you'll be better off for merely having competed. Time is money after all."
>He leans forward and stares at you through the screen, his eyes betraying his excitement.
>"Such a fascinating creature. Being pulled in all directions by fate and chance and force of will. Simply fantastic."
>He sits up and composes himself, clearing his throat and adjusting his golden robes.
>"Apologies. I didn't mean to stare, you're just... Well, the other participants aren't nearly as... Complex, as you. I'm so happy you've accepted. The game will be so much more interesting with you involved."

"Take me to the kitchen."

>"Access to the kitchen facilities are prohibited to guests and non-authorized personnel. If you like, I can provide access to the cafeteria."

"Fine, just take me to the cafeteria. It's been while since I last ate."

>You step through the portal and find yourself in the corner of what appears to be a dimly lit mess hall of sorts.
>The tables are made of steel, or some similar metal.
>There's an open path before you leading beside them to a counter running along the far side of the room where three acolytes stand wearing white robes stained with spots of various reds and browns, talking amongst themselves.
>On the wall behind you and to the right, towards the middle of the tables, is embedded another large black screen.

"Hey, hello. I need to get some food. Please don't tell me I have to pay you with food to get food because I don't have any."

>The tallest acolyte laughs into his sleeve.
>"I see you've been to the library."
>His voice is... bizarre.
>There's something off about his enunciation but you can't exactly place it.
>It makes you deeply uncomfortable.
>The slightly shorter acolyte steps up to the counter ahead of his compatriots.
>"Everything's on the house for participants in the battle royale. Which I'm guessing you are, as you're a freakin' talkin' horse. What are ya lookin' for?"

"I'm a pony actually, and I don't know where you're from but where I'm from you don't normally call someone you just met a mare of the night.

It's been ages since I've had a hayburger, so I'll get one of those, a salad with as much lettuce and tomatoes as you can find and some water."

>The shortest acolyte, noticeably smaller than the other two, shakes and snickers before scurrying off into the door behind them, presumably leading to the kitchen.
>"Mare of the night? Whaddya mean?"
>The tall acolyte leans down to whisper something into the other ones' ear.
>As he does, his mask slips a little and you see a bluish grey tentacle emerge from the darkness beneath his hood.
>"Oooooh. Oh. Oh no, I didn't mean it like that, lady. I meant that you got the four legs and the lovely equine features and the whole... you. Being there and able to talk. Are you, though? A mare of the night, as it were. Not that I'm interested or nothin', I'm just curious. I mean, not to say I wouldn't be interested, I'm just not looking for such services. I'm sure you're very attractive for wherever it is you come from... I'm shutting up now."
>The tall one laughs into his sleeve.
>The short one comes crashing through the door carrying a platter over his head, atop which sits a hayburger deluxe, a tall glass of water and a huge salad bowl filled to the brim with lettuce and tomato.
>He sways almost catastrophically back and forth as he nears the counter before depositing the tray atop the counter top with a clang.
>He jumps up and down excitedly and pushes the tray towards you.

"Cute tentacles. And no, I'm not normally a mare of the night. I'm a adventurer. But for the right price I might be willing to explore what you've got hidden under that cloak."
>The tray is set down in front of you.
"It all looks pretty good, thank you. Well see you lot later, hopefully you can get that tentacle out of your mouth by the next time we meet."
>You take your tray of food in your mouth and walk over to one of the tables.

>You set it down and sit down to start eating.
>The hayburger is fantastic, the water refreshing and the salad sublime.
>It's been a while since you've eaten so well.
>It's kind of sad to think about.
>You've dined with royalty as thanks for your daring deeds in the service to their kingdoms.
>But in making the area around so safe you've worked yourself out of a job.
>Nopony needs a hired gun when there isn't any trouble, but that's all you know how to be.
>You aren't suited to farm life, and you can't settle into a job in the big city.
>For right now you're just thankful to have a hayburger and a salad on the house.
>You finish your meal, and a moment later finish your contemplation.

>You return to your room and once again open the book on Bipedal races.
>Once again you feel the information surface to the forefront of your mind, like you knew it before you read a single word.
>Your memory drifts back to the room where you were initially chained up and the other chained participants, now able to better grasp what you were seeing at the time.

>A young male half elf with long blond hair, tied back and braided, and a thin scar on his face, wearing a shirt with a dragon insignia on it beneath a black fur cloak, his mouth, arms and legs bound by golden chains.

>A human male with black hair, olive skin, plain clothes, a close cropped beard and a scar running vertically down the left side of his face. He appears bound by similar golden chains around his wrists, ankles and mouth.

>A human male, pale skinned and wearing an orange hat, mirrored sunglasses and camouflage patterned shirt and pants, golden chains wrapped around his torso and mouth. Wrapped to his legs in golden chains is a velociraptor, which also has a single golden chain wrapped around its snout.

>A human female with black hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion, dressed modestly in black, gold chains wrapped around her entire torso like a straightjacket before rising to cover her mouth.

>A stocky female dwarf with braided auburn beard and hair, studded with wooden beads and laced with feathers wearing furs. Her mouth is muzzled with golden light, while her arms and legs are chained to the floor, where around her stood four large wolves, snouts and limbs bound by muzzles and chains similar to hers.

>A human male with black curly hair, bushy eyebrows and a large black mustache, wearing a light, colorful shirt covered in a floral pattern. His mouth is bound and his hands are chained together before him, and in front of his legs stand a peacock and a jaguar, each of their legs bound to the floor.

>A human male with black curly hair, bushy eyebrows and a large black mustache, wearing a light, colorful shirt covered in a floral pattern. His mouth is bound and his hands are chained together before him, and in front of his legs stand a peacock and a jaguar, each of their legs bound to the floor.

>A male gnome with green eyes, green robes, dark brown hair and scars across his face, his mouth bound and his arms held in front of him, golden chains wrapped around them like a finger trap.

>An androgynous gnome with large eyes and wild hair that both shift dramatically in color in a series of unpredictable kaleidoscopic patterns, who’s been bound once about the ankles and wrists but several times looping around the mouth.

>A male ratfolk with grey fur and streaks of black through the fur on his head, wearing nothing but a pair of tattered grey pants. His arms are bound behind his back, his mouth muzzled with golden light.

>A green eyed female half-elf with long, braided, auburn hair down past her hips, wearing a blue dress with leather shorts beneath it, a gold chain gagging her mouth and her arms bound behind her in a rising wrap of gold chains.

>A male halfling, pale skinned, red-headed and heavily freckled, wearing a white shirt and brown slacks, a single golden chain looped around his legs, arms and mouth once apiece. Beside him is a capybara, wrapped in golden chains and bound to the ground.

>Those were everyone with you in that room besides Edwyn Ferengi.
>They must be the other participants.
>You head back to the library.
>You ask the librarian how much time you have to read the books before the competition.
>"BAWK, there's no reading necessary. You open a blank book, it records your knowledge on a subject straight from your head and you gain instant recall of any equivalent information stored in the library. The whole process only takes a few seconds per subject, depending on how much you know, Ba-CAW."

(Knowlege Geography roll: 6)
(Knowledge Engineering roll: 18)

>You think to yourself that a map would be useful and head to the geography section.
>You see several books written in alien tongues.
>Some seem like they're written in alphabets you recognize, until you look at them again, or more closely, and they're suddenly not.
>Plenty of the books on the shelves are totally blank, however.
>You pick up one of these blank books and open it.
>You try to think of a map of Equestria, but while you know the general shape, you realize you've never really thought about the details.
>How far is it from Phillydelphia to Manehattan?
>How large are the borders of the Everfree forest?
>A few sporadic details spring to mind here and there from when they've been relevant to your past excursions.
>After what you're not sure was minutes or only a moment, you snap back to reality.
>The book is closed in your hooves, now titled "The Backdrops of My Adventures, by Brass Casing"
>Feeling frustrated, you head to the technology section.
>Opening a blank book you think back to when you first made your pistol.
>Measuring out how much black powder equated to how much force.
>Figuring out how to deal with the exhaust and kickback of the thing.
>All the myriad ways your trusty sidearm has broken down on you over the years.
>And, of course, how you fixed it.
>Again, you snap back to reality, unsure of how much time actually passed while you were reminiscing.
>The book in your hooves now bears the title "Equestrian Firearms: An Introduction, by Brass Casing" in gold leaf.

>*Alright, lets see what these books can get me.*
>You think to yourself as you wander from section to section, opening blank book after blank book.

(Knowledge Arcana roll: 15)
(Knowledge Dungeoneering roll: 17)
(Knowledge History roll: 5)
(Knowledge Culture roll: 13)
(Knowledge Nature roll: 6)
(Knowledge Nobility roll: 10)
(Knowledge Planes roll: 19)
(Knowledge Religion roll: 21)

>Your mind roams from topic to topic, reflective of your life experiences.
>You remember most of your "Basics of Magic" courses.
>You've got plenty of experience spelunking caves and facing bizarre creatures.
>Equestrian history is a bunch of fairy tale nonsense for nerds.
>You know enough to know expressing that opinion publicly is a bad idea.
>Plants and animals were never your strong suit.
>Everypony knows about the princesses, but you don't know much more than anypony else.
>When you reach the section labelled "Interplanar studies" you find it strange.
>What does that even mean?
>You shrug and crack open a book and then realize.
>You're not on Equestria anymore.
>You're not anywhere anymore, really.
>You've been pulled out of your entire dimension, from your entire version of reality, by these people.
>From one version of the Material Plane, sideways, through to another.
>Terms you've never heard before fill your mind.
>Material Plane, Ethereal Plane, Shadow Plane, Astral Plane
>You understand that this reality is but one form of reality, and those forms can follow wildly different rules.
>You shake with the revelations, dropping the open book to the floor.
>Your head is pounding, but you feel compelled to move to the last section.
>You grab a blank book, your head still swirling with the knowledge of interplanar layouts that was just burned into your mind.
>You open the book, and you see Hell

>Writhing, screaming, naked souls, shackled by burning iron weighted to suit the sin of their lives burn for all eternity within the plane of Hell.
>You see them.
>In Elysium, benevolent souls embrace their passions and self determination to the fullest extent possible, moreso than any version of reality could possibly allow.
>You see them.
>Opposite Elysium is Heaven, where the pious and devout lead endless lives of eternal bliss, structured to maximize their happiness.
>You see them.
>Abbadon stretches for eternity, an eternity of blackness and death, destruction and misery.
>You see it.
>Tartarus looms beneath everything everywhere, filled with tormented undesirables, the mistakes of creation and the enemies of innumerable Gods.
>You see them.
>Nirvana stretches out, collecting souls at peace with their lives in a warm glow that transcends and defeats all desire or hardship.
>You see it.
>Purgatory stands tall, collecting the souls of the dead, holding them until the time of their final rest and sending them to where they need to be when their time comes.
>You see them.
>And surrounding all of these places, forming the connecting membrane of this network of extra dimensional afterlives, rests the Abyss.
>An unholy abomination filled with demons of all shapes and sizes, and the unfortunate, the most unfortunate, souls who have found their way into its inescapable maw.
>Evil and pain and unending despair fill the space between the planes, surrounding every existence, no matter how beautiful and serene, with an inescapable chaos.
>You stare into the Abyss, at the rotting souls who transform into demons, uniting with the essence of the plane itself.
>You watch in horror as you comprehend the emptiness in their hearts, and understand the pain that fuels their wanton destruction.
>You see as they tear and claw at the edges of reality, trying desperately to cause pain and fear in the hopes it will somehow lessen their own.
>You see them.
>And they see you.

>You suddenly find yourself back in the library, Edwyn Ferengi standing in front of you.
>He's holding a heavy black book.
>It seems like you were just reading it, but you don't remember taking that one off the shelf.
>Your head hurts.
>Your head's killing you, actually.
>A migraine bad enough to draw tears, if you weren't already crying.
>What the fuck was that?
>What the FUCK *was that?*
>Any of that!
>You're shaking violently.
>Edwyn kneels down a bit and gently strokes your head.
>"Shh. It's okay. I'm sure that was scary but it's okay. You're safe."
>He looks past you for a second, towards the Librarian who's also standing nearby.
>"Another one. Lock this one up too, and keep a closer eye on the shelves from now on. We can't shut down access to the library for the participants, but restrict it otherwise. We'll investigate and repair the breach after the competition."
>Edwyn looks back to you.
"You should probably head to bed, Miss Casing. You've had an unfortunate experience and tomorrow will be a very busy day."

>You nod and turn back towards the door.
>Your legs shake as you walk.
>As you approach the door you hear a flat, feminine voice echo throughout the library.
>"Attention all guests and rank 1 personnel. The Sanctum is entering lockdown. Please return to your private quarters."
>You ask for your room and step through the portal as it opens.
>You think of Janus, then feel a sharp pain in your head behind your eye.
>More tears fall down your cheeks as you step into your royal chamber, against your will.
>The pain in your head, the horrors and joys you'd seen in your vision, the weight of the knowledge you now possess.
>They're all individually overwhelming, but together...
"No. I'm better than this."
>You enter a state of Rage.
(Will save: 15)
>The tears stop.
>You are an adventurer.
>You are better than crying because of a book and a headache.
(Perception: 25)
>You quickly check under the bed, in the closet and anywhere else in the room for monsters or threats and then collapse onto the bed.
>Your exhaustion eventually wins out over the migraine and you drift off to sleep.

*You've gained +1 intelligence, full ranks in Knowledge religion and the "Snake Eyes Library Incident" trait (+1 to Knowledge religion and Knowledge religion is a class skill for you.)*

>You awaken to the sound of a repeating high pitched drone.
>As you stir the beeping stops and the black window in your room lights up, displaying the smiling face of Edwyn Ferengi.
>“Good morning, participants! I hope you've all slept well and are looking forward to the events of the day. I'm afraid that because of a few... incidents last night some areas of the Sanctum are currently inaccessible to guests, including the library. No worries, however, the situation will be remedied by this afternoon.”
>You hear a whir as the door to your room opens and an acolyte walks in, identically dressed to the one who led you to your room last night.
>They're holding a silver platter with your favorite breakfast on it.
>“Your personal attendants should be arriving shortly with breakfast. They will be accompanying you around the Sanctum and answering any questions you may have, as myself and the other council members will be busy preparing the island and, of course, judging your appeals for our favor.”
>The acolyte approaches your resting place and sets the tray down, seemingly into the air.
>A bedside table appears in a shimmer of blue light to receive the food.
>The acolyte then backs up and folds its hands in front of itself, waiting.
>“As well, each attendant has the selection of gear you'll be able to choose from for the battle. I recommend you ask them about it after breakfast. I must be off, but I look forward to seeing you later today. I hope you all enjoy your last day before the battle. Toodle-oo!”
>With that the window goes black once more and you are left in silence with the robed, masked figure and a platter full of food.

>You spread some hot sauce on your bagel and happily bite into it.
>This is fantastic.
>A lavish room with a huge bed all to yourself and you don't even have to eat a boring royal breakfast.
>As you eat you notice that the acolyte by the door seems to be staring intently at you from behind their mask, leaning forward a bit.
>You're pretty sure you've caught their eye when they snap back to standing up straight, staring forward towards the wall.
>You finish the last bite of breakfast and wash it down with a drink of apple juice.

"You wouldn't happen to be the same cute tentacled acolyte from yesterday at the cafeteria would you?

>The acolyte fidgets awkwardly.
>"Me? No, I'm not cu- I mean, I don't have tentacles. Or work in the cafeteria. I was the one who brought you to your room yesterday, I don't know if you remember me. Or realize it was me."
>They look you up and down, still awkwardly fidgeting with their hands.
>"There are... More of you? Where you came from?"

"Yes, many more. We're called ponies. I don't mind you asking, if you have any questions feel free to fulfill your curiosity."

>The acolyte seems nervous but continues.
>"Do all ponies have horns on their heads?"

"Yeah we do. There are also creatures that look very similar to ponies but don't have a horn, so they're not actually proper ponies. They're useful as slaves, though."

(Bluff: 20)

>The acolyte seems taken aback.
>"Y-you have slaves?"

"I'm just messing with ya. No, not all ponies have horns, but those who don't tend to either be stronger or can fly to make up for the lack of a horn. Having a horn is best, though."

>"Oh... why is that?"

"Magic. I could make myself stronger or give myself wings to fly with if I knew the right spells. And that's only on the surface, magic is very versatile."

>The acolyte perks up.
>"Oh, magic? So you must be a spellcaster then?"

"Er, no. Just because I can use magic doesn't mean I'm any good at it. I'm more a fighter, I use my magic to steady my weapons rather then as a weapon itself."

>"Oh..."
>The acolyte slumps a little.

"Mind If I ask you a couple questions?"

>"Me? Uh. I guess that'd be fine. I mean. I guess I'm supposed to be guiding you around anyway."

"What had you so interested in me possibly being a spell caster? And why are you disappointed that I'm not?"

>"Well, you mentioned your horn giving you magic, so I was just hoping that you could maybe teach me some things. I've never met anybody else who was... like you before.
>The acolyte shifts back and forth from foot to foot.

"I can probably teach you telekineses if you want to learn, something making you nervous?"

>The acolyte steps forward, excited.
>"Oh, I'd love to. I'm not sure I'd be able to, but I'd love to try, thank you."
>"Nervous? A bit. It's just... I'm having a hard time believing that you're real. That your people exist at all."

"So are those robes a uniform that you have to wear?"

>"Yes. Well. Not exactly. They're mandatory for all low level personnel and fresh recruits, to avoid racial prejudice among the new acolytes and in the workforce. Me and the other attendants are all permitted to remove our masks if we wish to or if would make our charge more comfortable... I've just gotten used to mine."

"Oh I assure you I am very real. And before we get started why don't you let me get a look at your face, first? If that wouldn't make it too weird for you.

I'll admit this whole thing is very weird for me too. I thought I'd just be in Equestria before I signed that letter and and seeing all these bipeds walking around towering over me is a little disturbing."

>The acolyte slowly raises his hands to his mask.
>He lifts the faceplate upwards to reveal a dark void, similar to the Librarian's before her beak protruded from it.
>However, before anything is revealed, he falls forward, just barely catching himself with his hands.
>His head bends upwards at an unnatural angle, his robes billowing up and outward.
>He rears his head back, the hood falling away from his face.
>He's a colt with an orange-brown coat and a dark brown mane.
>"Tell me about it."

"What? You're a pony? And a colt at that, this raises a ton of questions. How did you end up here working for this place? Why were you asking me about ponies?"
>You leap up off of the bed and go over to the colt.
>He shrinks away from you a bit as you approach, almost instinctively.
>"I-I was brought here when I was very young. The Society's taken care of me for most of my life. I was asking about ponies because I've never seen anyone else even remotely like me before."
>The colt lowers his head a little.
>"Usually when people find out who I am behind the mask, they think I'm a freak and start avoiding me."

>You lay down on your belly in a non threatening gesture.
"Don't worry about that happening, to me you're the most normal living being in this place. You were taken here when you were young, do you have any idea why?"
>The colt smiles slightly.
>"I asked about it but all I was told is that my father was a hero who died in battle before I was born and my mother wouldn't have been able to take care of me by herself. Lord Gramis brought me here for my own good when I was very young. I've been living with the Society ever since."
"Since you've been here most of your life I guess that explains why you don't know anything about ponies. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
>"So many things. Everything. More than I could possibly trouble you with. I'm the one who's supposed to be showing you around, not pestering you with questions about your world."
"Do you have wings or a horn? I can't tell with that cloak in the way."
>The colt shyly takes the string tying his cloak around his neck between his teeth, pulling the tie apart.
>He shakes a little and his cloak pools onto the floor behind him.
>Although he's young, his form is solid and muscular.
>He's not quite filled out his frame yet but he's much closer to a stallion than a foal.
>Despite this, you don't see a cutie mark on his flank.
>"I don't have any of those things right now, but I can if you'd like."

"...Show me"

>The colt closes his eyes and begins to glow with an eerie blue-green light.
>A thick, curved horn begins to protrude from his forehead.
>It's larger than any Unicorn's horn you've ever seen, closer to a rhino's.
>After a moment the horn recedes and two glowing shapes begin to emerge from the colt's sides.
>The glow forms into two wings, not wholly dissimilar to a pegasus' wings but placed awkwardly on the body, and too small to support the colt's heavier frame.
>The wings extend, flapping a bit before receding to a closed position and then melding back into the colt's sides.
>The green glowing stops and the colt opens his eyes, smiling sheepishly.

"Uh... Well, I guess I haven't seen a pony do that before. How the heck did you learn to do that?"
>The colt looks confused.
>"What do you mean?"
"First off, ponies normally can't change if they have wings or a horn unless they use some pretty heavy duty spells. How do you do it? What do you do for that to happen?"
>The colt hooves at the ground, awkwardly.
>"I'm not really sure what you mean. I've always been able to transform, at least a little. I've been learning to control it better and make more drastic changes thanks to the Society. They told me my father was a druid, so I guess I inherited some magic from him."
"You're also very muscular. I'm an adventurer so I met up with others who are in peak physical condition and you're pretty high up there for the most built pony I've seen."
>"T-thanks. Really? I've always felt like I was pretty small, for whatever reason."
"Do you know how old you are?"
>"I'm 17."
"There is a lot to cover with ponies, What do you want me to start with?"
>"Um... I really don't know... What are ponies like where you come from?"
>The colt shuffles his feet awkwardly.
>"Are they all as pretty as you?"

"Ponies are generally fairly peaceful and friendly, with some notable exceptions. ...Not a lot of them are as pretty as me. Am I easy on your eyes?"
>"Um. Well. I mean. Yeah."
>The colt stammers helplessly.
"You can sit down if you want you know."
>The colt accepts the offer, shakily placing his legs beneath himself.
>As he lowers himself in range, you boop him.
"Heh, thanks for the complement, you're pretty handsome yourself."
>He blushes and his nostrils flare.

"My name is Brass casing by the way, do you have a name or would you like me to just call you handsome from now on?"
>The acolyte's cheeks flush.
>"I've never been called handsome before. My name is Spur. Spur Thunderhoof."
"About your transforming, have you found any limit to it?"
>"I mean, sure. I only know so many transformations, I can only make them last so long and I can't combine multiple transformation features yet. I'm also much better at changing my own body than other people's. But I'm studying and practicing in the hopes of pushing beyond those limitations."
"Hmm... Anything else you'd like to know about ponies? There is still a lot to go over."
>"Well... What's your world like? What's your home like? Do you have any close friends waiting for you there? A boyfriend perhaps?"

"My world... Let me just start out in saying that it is utterly beautiful. Lush fields of grass and farmland as far as you could see, spotted with everything from quaint little towns of only a few houses to massive metropolises that house thousands. Not everywhere was perfect though. There used to be a lot of bad things about it and I worked to help remove them. But I ended up doing my job too well and there was nothing really left for me to do."
"I have few friends and acquaintances scattered around the place, no one very close though. And no, no I don't have a boyfriend. I wandered from place to place far too much for that. Though it's not that I'm not looking for one, could be fun."
>You catch Spur trying not to smile too wide.
"So how do you learn transformations? Could you learn how to make a horn like mine?"
>"Oh, I study under the Dark Lord himself. The twelve of us who were assigned as attendants were chosen from among his personal class and hand picked to serve each participant to the best of our abilities."
>Spur puffs his chest out with pride.
>"As for making a horn like yours... I'm not sure. I could definitely make one that *looks* like yours, or even make myself entirely like a Unicorn from your world if I really wanted to, but I don't think I can replicate your Unicorn magic if that's what you're asking. Magic that copies different types of magic tends to get severely watered down in the process, and mine isn't that strong to begin with. And that's assuming it's even possible to begin with."

>Suddenly, the screen embedded into your wall lights up with the image of Edwyn Ferengi.
>"Greetings Acolytes, prisoners, Sanctum personnel and, most importantly, honored guests participating in the inaugural Snake Eyes Battle Royale. It would seem that one of the participants has requested... insisted, really, on having their appeal for our favor broadcast to any and everyone we can reach."

"Uh? What? Who is it that's trying to do that? And why?"
>Spur looks at you confused and shrugs.
>You look at and watch the screen intently.

>The screen goes black once more.
>A stylized image of a face with wild, shifting hair in silhouette fades in, subtitled with "A Rodgney Wognder Production"
>It fades out and is replaced with an image of a snake's eye, subtitled "In cooperation with The Snake Eyes Society"
>This image also fades.
>The screen remains black for a moment before slowly zooming out to reveal and image of a screen.
>The slow zoom continues until there's a collection of screens, each contained within a titanic screen.
>The smaller screens form a mosaic of the same silhouetted image, surrounded with bright, multicolored background, changing color and shape in a kaleidoscopic fashion.
>Calm, melodic music plays.
>Along the bottom of the screens is an empty black bar, and walking in front of it is a small pixelated garden gnome holding a golden wand.
>As it walks the bar fills up with rainbow colors.
>As the bar gets close to filling, screens begin to randomly short out, explode, shatter, warp, liquify and one animates into a face of raw terror, screaming before the screen finally cracks and blows out.
>The remnants of the mosaic image are warped and distorted, rimmed in an ominous red light.
>The music distorts and abruptly ends.
>The screen darkens.
>Music begins to play and the image of a swirling spotlight traversing a stage fills the screen.
>The spotlight settles on a large door, framed by many multicolored runes and covered in various warnings written in various different scripts and languages.
>A high pitched scream is heard in the distance just before the door bursts open.
>A long metal ramp unfurls from the door down to a large open staging area.
>More spotlights turn on to illuminate this area before swirling around and settling on the door, once more centered in the frame.
>From within, three figures emerge.

>The first is a tall sexy looking nurse in a short sexy looking nurse outfit, except that their head is a giant syringe.
>In her arms is what at first looks like a baby, before you realize it's actually a giant pill capsule swaddled as if it were a baby.
>The second is a medium-sized humanoid who appears to be very, very old, wearing nothing but tattered rags and a collar.
>He seems confused by what's happening and generally terrified of everything, jumping away from lights or when the music hits a loud beat.
>The collar's leash extends back through the door to the hand of the third figure who leaps out over the first two and begins leading the trio down the rampway.
>It's the androgynous looking gnome with shifting hair, hair color and eye color from before.
>They're wearing a patchwork suit, one half black tuxedo, the other a sparkly gold jacket over a neon green vest.
>Their pants are a shifting design of stripes, polka dots and paisley, all in vibrant, clashing colors.
>A huge pink corsage rests on their chest, completing the design.
>In one hand they hold the old man's leash, coldly tugging him forward should it pull taut.
>In the other rests a golden rod tipped with an array of color shifting gemstones.
>Crowds of various humanoid and monstrous races begin appearing and cheering fanatically around the staging area.
>As the gnome approaches the stage, portals and screens open revealing massive crowds of other gnomes.
>They are cheering and chanting something but you can't quite make out what it is.
>The gnome ties the leash to a chain link on the floor near the staging area then vanishes with a loud BAMF! (both in sound and cartoon comic sans text) with purple smoke.
>The music ends and the crowds go into a hushed tone before almost silence.
>A gunshot can be heard from somewhere.

>The lights darken until there is a single large spotlight in the center of the stage.
>Strange lines of pale light appear there briefly as the androgynous gnome slowly fades into view.
>They're frozen in a flashy pose with the golden staff pointing to the ceiling.
>As they begin to move their image distorts briefly as if you were watching a video with missing frames.
>A brief scream can be heard somewhere close and followed shortly after by the sound of breaking glass.
>The gnome spins around as a mic stand rises from the ground.
>Resting the golden wand under their arm, they adjust the mic height and position before speaking:
>"Time is SO precious, so let's get right into it shall we?"
>The lights brighten enough to see the crowds around the staging.
>They are all standing with arms crossed in front of them.
>The elderly humanoid is gone, in their place a giant hairy beast with claws and sharp teeth.
>The nurse is eviscerated, lying nearby.
>Her head is shattered, the beast lapping up its contents.
>Powder covers much of its fur and it looks like it's carrying part of a large pill capsule.
>The gnome begins to sing what seems to be some sort of anthem in a language you don't understand.
>On some of the screens the silhouetted icon from before appears.
>Inside the silhouette are seven spinning rings in a circle pattern.
>Music begins to rise.
>Some of the screens cut to video of crowds of gnomes, their arms crossed.
>Everyone is singing along.
>The music ends with a crescendo, the lights dim back down and the gnome begins to speak again:
>"How y'all doing?"
>The crowds, both near the stage and in the screens and portals all go insane.

>The staging area brightens and a phased outline of a naked medium-sized humanoid appears on the opposite end of the stage.
>Its face and groin area are featureless but it's body language indicates hostility.
>"UH---OH, we got a con-TENder up in this bitch! Looks like we're gonna need a champion! Who you think it should be? Let's take a look!"
>The perspective shifts into a 2D plane.
>Fight music blares.
>The staging area and figures become cartoonish, as if they were in a fighting game from the 80s or 90s.
>13 Icons of various characters line the top of the view and red and blue P1 and P2 borders highlight them.
>The P2 symbol moves erratically, then a chime plays and the phased figure turns into a tightly packed gang of caricatured versions of the Snake Eyes Society judges.
>As the P1 symbol moves over the icons the figure where the gnome appeared changes to match the highlighted character.
>It settles briefly on the human male with a floral patterned shirt and majestic black moustache.
>It then shifts to a compact female dwarf with braided auburn hair and a large wolf.
>A high-pitched chime is heard and the dwarf's clothes and hair color change to that of a firefighter accompanied by a large dalmatian instead of the wolf.
>Another chime is heard before her clothes change to that of a orange-vested plaid clothed hunter with a foxhound in tow.
>Another chime she is now cybernetic with a robot dog with a large flashing red light on its back.
>The highlight changes to that of a black haired grey furred anthropomorphic rat in tattered clothes.
>The high-pitched chime is heard and they are instead wearing a deerstalker cap, tweed cape and carrying a magnifying glass.
>The highlight shifts to a pale skinned human in an orange hat wearing camo with a dinosaur behind them.
>Chimes are heard as P1 cycles through outfits including an orange boilersuit, brown dress shirt and blue jeans, and tighty whitey underpants.

>Eventually the P1 frame moves on to highlight a large "?" icon at the end of the icons.
>The word 'Random' appears a moment before a loud "FIGHT!" sound is heard.
>The icons spin and P1 jumps around until it lands on a androgynous gnome icon with a deep, echoing tone.
>Perspective shifts back to the staging area with many of the surrounding screens still appearing as the 2D fighting game scene, and others displaying from the perspective of the gnome, as if they had cameras in their eyes.
>The crowds are going wild and chanting.
>The gnome begins to speak
>"Ohhhhh alllllright then. And for those of you out there who may not know me,"
>The crowd begins to boo, as if the notion offends them
>"Just who AM I?"
>The crowd cheers "Rodgney Wognder!" over and over
>"I SAID, who am I?"
>Darkness suddenly fills the room
>On various screens the gnome's silhouetted icon appears.
>A video starts to play with powerful documentary style orchestral music
>It begins with the viewer flying through space, highlighting eight planets
>The deep, soothing voice of an unseen Narrator begins to speak.
>"Who IS Rodgney Wognder? What IS Rodgney Wognder? Born in the year zero, on a planet that no longer exists,"
>One of the highlighted planets disappears in a brilliant flash
>"Rodgney Wognder is from a species of gnomes that, due to their short attention spans, has a society and political structure based on television programs, social media and resultant media ratings."
>The images change to that of a technologically advanced and magically developed gnome civilization.
>It then cuts to scenes of violence and crowds rioting.
>"Before Rodgney Wognder there was chaos. No one knew what was cool. No one had...direction.
>The camera zooms out, revealing the gnome as the narrator, leaning against the screen displaying shifting images of turmoil and strife.
>"They needed a demagogue. They needed a champion."
>The images shift to pictures of the gnome in various epic and heroic situations

>"Short story short, I...they...umm Rodgney Wognder I mean, took over. It gave them all something to strive to be. Me. Glorious me. Rodgney Wognder! That's me. I'm great. Thanks."
>The images change to that of a small metal object being surgically installed into a small gnome baby's brain.
> "I couldn't let anyone miss out on my greatness so I came up with a plan: Why just WATCH Rodgney Wognder when you can FEEL Rodgney Wognder? I had everyone install chips in their heads so they could not only see through my eyes but FEEL what I feel. Every hedonistic and insane moment all the time. Instant access. V-V-VVIP to the most important person in the cosmos."
>Perspective shifts back to the stage.
>The beast is gone and the elderly humanoid has reappeared.
>They cradle the corpse of the nurse and weep silently.
>The gnome in the center spotlight continues as screens and portals reappear.
>The gnome crowds cheer.
>On some screens, scenes of gnomes in military outfits fighting gnomes in hypercolor shirts appear.
>"Of course the only way to opt out of the 'Unity Project' was to install one of my competitor's chips."
>The crowd boos
>"Oh that's all right, I've got some good news for everyone!"
>Images of the Unity Project chip appear.
>A counter appears with the number 107,874,301,989
>It fluctuates up and sometimes down.
>"I've got a little secret for all of you. I am my competitor."
>The counter number jumps about 20 million
>The crowds cheer 'Welcome to Rodgney Wognder"
>The gnome dances around the stage screaming "Rod! Rod! Rod!" while pointing his wand around.

>He returns to the microphone with a devious smirk.
>"So, you may... wonder... why I'm telling you this now. Well, our little experiments... our little... entertainments... boring! Boring boring boring! Gotta... kick it up a notch. I want gods to start following me on social media. I want it all. And the only way to do that is to get real. Like real-real."
>The gnome is directing most of their attention to the screens and portals of gnome crowds at this point.
>"You need to really LIVE. That's why I've disabled all the safety protocols on your chips. No pain filters. No mortality stop gaps. If I die..."
>The gnome points up to the counter
"We ALL die! The chip inside your head will explode -- isn't that just amazing?!"
>The counter begins to go down very fast but slows down a bit and starts going up slowly again.
>Images of violence and mass panic begin to break out on the various screens.
>The gnome cackles madly, then falls backwards into their shadow and reappears in a flash before the seven judges, all of whom are sitting shrouded in darkness.
>"I give the best, better, bestest entertainment and will be giving you and everyone watching at home the greatest Snake Eyes Society Battle Royale you've ever seen! It's truly kind of unfortunate because any further Battle Royales just aren't going to be the same as #1. Anyway, adore me. Clap for me. Cheer for me. Pray for me! This show is gonna be... awesome."
>The screen goes black once more.
>After a few moments of silence and stillness it's apparent the broadcast is over.

"...What in tarturus was that?"
>Spur looks as confused as you are.
>"I... I think that was participant #9, if I'm not mistaken."

"Just why? He seems completely insane, with power and with some sort of psychosis. He's going to end up getting his entire race wiped out. I'll be honest, I'm not even sure what to say about this. What do you think about it?"
>"I... I don't know."
>Spur looks a bit shaken.
>"Nobody was supposed to actually die in the battle. Lord NecroMage has total control over any souls that die within the Sanctum or on the island, he can force them back to life afterward. But that would still trigger a killswitch, and his dominion doesn't include those gnome planets."
>Spur looks at you.
>"Maybe he's lying. Or maybe there's some sort of jamming device or safety protocol in place we don't know about. The council hand selected the participants they'd send invitations to, they knew who they might be getting. I can't imagine they'd bring someone in who has over 100 billion gnomish lives as a shield. After all, you can't believe everything you see on TV, right?"

"Is there any way to check if that's true? I would like to know that if this maniac gets himself killed 100 billion living creatures won't end up dead because of that."

>Spur looks uncomfortable.
>"The adjudicators know whether it's true or not, but they aren't going to tell participants about the nature of their competitors. The appeals are normally handled in private, so this was clearly something he wanted everyone to see. It could be a bluff."

"I hope we don't have to find out. This doesn't seem like a good start to this thing.
...Do you feel like going back to what we were talking about before that?"

>Spur smiles a bit.
>"Sure. You were asking about my magic and I was asking about your homeworld. E... Equestria, was it?"

"Yea, you got it right. Would you like me to tell you anything else about it? We've gone over the main stuff really, just a few more little things."
>You get up and move closer to Spur, lay back down next to him.
"And as for your magic, it's pretty impressive. Druids are rare and I haven't had the pleasure of seeing one use their magic before. What do you normally use it for?"
>Spur's cheeks heat up as you sit closer to him.
>"Um... well... I'm not /exactly/ a druid... I mostly just change my own form. It could be useful to fight or sneak around I guess... it's pretty versatile, really. I haven't really done much with it besides just learn how to do it though. I haven't spent much time outside of the Sanctum at all since coming here as a baby."


"Well I guess it was something to focus on and learn at least. So where have you been other than the Sanctum then? Anywhere interesting?"
>"I've been on one excursion so far. It was mandatory for year one Acolytes, to see if they possess a natural talent for necromancy."
>Spur shudders.
>"I... it turns out I don't."
"Never really gotten this close to anypony before have you? It's alright, nothing's wrong. But tell me if I'm making you too uncomfortable."
>Spur shakes his head.
>"No, not really. I've got friends, and I know all species are welcome here in the Society but I've always felt like somewhat of an outcast. I've never met anyone remotely like me before. It's... nice."
>Spur smiles and blushes a little, shuffling a bit closer.
"Heh, your cheeks are a little red. Has something got you a little hot under the collar?"
>Spur hangs his head, grinning in spite of himself.
>"Just you."

>You push yourself closer to Spur until your side brushes up against his.
>He's as solid as he looks, and warm.
"Hmm... Always nice to hear. It's nice to meet you as well, pretty comforting to have a pony to ease my mind in this messed up place."
>Spur smiles and leans into the contact with you.
"Well, I can't say that I'm not glad that you don't have any aptitude for necromancy. ...It's very unpleasant kind of magic, and hard to deal with. Do you know why they were looking for people who were skilled in it?"
>"Well, mages of any sort are always useful to the Society, but those with an aptitude for necromancy tend to become the Dark Lord's direct apprentices. I'm somewhat of an exception in that regard. He keeps telling me I'm going to surpass his skill with alteration magic soon and have to find a more skilled teacher."
"Is there really no one that is anything like us in this whole place?"
>Spur shakes his head.
>"None that I know about. I think that's why I was offered the chance to be your attendant. Most of the others were assigned based on their magic or fighting style, so we could learn from the participants. In my case I think it was so I could meet someone else who was... like me."
>Spur looks towards the ground uncomfortably as he trails off.
"I've been around different species pretty much all my career, but there were always ponies around. So I don't know exactly how you feel but I understand why you feel like it. And it is nice to have you here and not be the only pony in this place."
>You wrap a hoof over his shoulder and give Spur a tight hug.
>You whisper into his ear.
"Heh, I'll admit I'm also a little hot and bothered."
>Spur goes rigid and suddenly becomes very focused on a spot on the floor somewhere in front of himself, his breathing picking up a little.

"Hmm...? You know, there is one last thing I can teach you about ponies if you want, but it'll be a little more... Hooves on, then everything else I've taught you. I might need some help with a few demonstrations.~"
>You gently place a kiss on his cheek, your hooves moving to his shoulders and slowly rubbing his large muscles.
"This whole thing has been a little hard on me. Before the battle royal I might need a little stress relief. Do you think you'd be willing to help a weary mercenary mare with that? There might be a reward in it for you if you do a good job."
>You stand up, pulling away from Spur slightly and start sauntering towards the bed.
>You flick his snout with your tail to make sure his eyes are on you.
>He sits stunned for a moment before jumping to his feet and following close behind you.
>You glance back at him over your shoulder.
"Just remember what I said earlier, if I'm making you uncomfortable just tell me."
>Spur nuzzles his forehead into your flank.
>"Same to you."

"You don't have to worry about making me feel uncomfortable. Though that's cute of you to offer."
>You sway your flank a little more then necessary as you make our way to the bed, swishing your tail a little to let Spur catch a glimpse of what's behind it.
>You put your forelegs on first and using them to climb up onto the bed.
>You turn around to face Spur and sit down, slowly leaning back until you're resting your back against your pillows.
>You use your tail to just barely cover your nethers.
>You smile coyly at him while patting the bed in front of you with your magic.
>Spur stares dumbfounded, his breathing fast and shallow.
>He quickly and awkwardly accepts the invitation, crawling up onto the bed and into a position slightly overtop of you at your feet, but seems nervous.
>From this angle you realize just how much larger he is than you.
>He slouched and shrunk himself down for most of your conversation, but now there's no denying that he's one of the biggest, most muscular stallions you've ever seen.
>There's also no denying that he's never done this before.
>Poor kid has no idea what he's doing.
>"You're... you're gorgeous."
>He manages to stammer out the words while awkwardly standing over you on the bed.

"Thanks, you're a good lookin' stud yourself you know. Always had a thing for big, strong, muscle bound stallions. I don't think I've ever met anyone that quite fits that bill as well as you do, though."
>You lean forward and press your lips against Spur's gently, closing your eyes and leaning into him more and more.
>After a minute of this you gradually turn your head a little and open your mouth, pushing your tongue against his lips requesting permission to enter his mouth.
>He grants it, his own tongue sliding past yours to cautiously explore past your lips.
>After a few moments of kissing, you pull away and lie back down.
>You slowly pull your tail out of the way, revealing your nethers.
>You lower one of your forehooves and start to gently rub up and down, letting out small, quiet, moans as you do.
>After a little while of this you pull your now wet hoof away from your marehood.
>Lighting up your horn, your magic surrounds our lips and gently pulls them apart to reveal your pink inner walls.
>Spur wastes no time burying his face between your thighs.
>He forces his tongue inside of you.
>Dear Celestia, even that's stronger than you're used to from the stallions back home.
>You can't help but moan out loud as his tongue slides deep inside of your nethers and presses out against your inner walls.