Text Adventure Chapter 43 Log

>Without any real way to do it yourself, you give the chest back to Berry.
>”What, can’t blast it open?”
“Not without damaging what’s on the inside… I have better control, but not that much. I’m thinking there’s a store out in the Crystal Empire that might be able to undo that chain.”
>She rolls her eyes again and shifts the weight with the chest back on her back, then takes a drink from her flask.
>”So, I actually have a question for you.”
>You glance at her, the natural light of the torch being the only thing that allows you to see the curious expression on Berry’s face.
>”You and Red, you know… gettin’ pretty serious, right?”
“Er… I suppose.”
>”I know, hasn’t been very long, maybe two and a half weeks. I just happened to start thinking about your whole situation…”
>You’re pretty sure you know where she’s going with this.
>However, she’s interrupted by the sudden transition of the small, confined tunnel walls turning into the grand cavern that your party had made its resting ground last night.
>The rest of the party has already gathered their things and everything is set, and you wave at them.
“Alright, let’s go. We need to get to Cadance as quickly as possible, but if you guys see any veins, tell me. It shouldn’t take long to knock those bad boys out.”
>”It’s about time, c’mon Anon. I went faster than ya when I was just an icecube, sugarcube.”
>Gable gives you a devious smirk as you take Iron’s place at the sled’s reigns, strapping the ropes over your chest.
>You begin to pull along with him, and your party soon exits the cave, being rather close to the other side.
>When the mouth opens up into the world beyond, the snow has more or less subsided, though it is still falling.
>Definitely much warmer than last night.
>As your party begins to return to the city, Berry lags behind the group and starts trotting next to you on your far side away from Gable.
>”Sorry, anyways. Let me just get straight to the point… Pinkie likes you, dude.”
>You nearly trip and send the sled down the hill you are climbing, eliciting a familiar tone from Gable.
>”Hey! I know you only got two legs, but can you try to keep balance, skinbag?”
>You manage to recompose yourself.
“W-w-what?”
>Nice.
>”I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she’s been dropping straight up bombs since like, four or five days ago, and probably before that. I don’t remember, probably too buzzed, but you know.”
“...”
>”C’mon, I didn’t tell you to mess anything you got goin’ up! My question is… How’s the whole thing with convincing Red going?”
>What do you say?



"We've gotten... well, further in theory. Still need to get some 'empirical data', as it were.”
>She gives you a funny look.
>”Don’t turn into a geek, please.”
“Honestly, what we need right now is a night where nobody's dying or possessed or trapped in a rock slide, to just show her a good time, know what I mean? Wouldn't be fair to ask her to indulge me without obliging her requests, y'know?"
>”Her requests?”
“Yea- Oh, no, I’m not-”
>”You’re telling me.”
“I can’t just go ar-”
>”I’ll tell everyone here something else if you don’t tell me right now.”
>Berry challenges you with one of the most steeled stares you’ve ever been given.
>She takes her gossip extra juicy.
>And you don’t want to fuck anything up, especially with all that’s been going on.
“Well, she wants to… switch roles… if you get me.”
>Berry’s muzzle scrunches in concentration, but to no avail.
>”Gonna have to be a little clearer.”
>All of a sudden, Gable’s voice chimes in.
>”She wants to be the man in the sex life.”
>Berry’s eyes grow wide in understanding.
>You can’t help but think about his gryphon-ass piece of sh-
>”She’s a pegger?! Wooow, I never woulda thunk it!”
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to Gable for a second.”
>She snickers uncontrollably as she rushes her way through the heavy snow, presumably to tell the others.
>You’re probably going to die, but Berry said she wouldn’t mess anything up.
>You’ll see.
>”Private conversation?”
“Yeah, actually, but that’s not important. Just had some questions for you.”
>You both stop for a quick moment to pull the sled over a particularly steep hill of snow and ice, and continue afterwards.
“You ever think about where you wanted to live?”
>Gable sighs, flapping out his wings to stretch them after having them pulled down by the rope all this time.
>”I can’t say that I have. I’ve been too busy watching your ass.”
“True.. But I just wanted to suggest Ponyville to you.”
>”Oh boy.”
“No, seriously! Trust me, when you get there you’ll fall in love with all the residents and everything that’s there. It’s a nice little village that’s peaceful and tranquil, at least when it isn’t getting destroyed by shadows.”
>The both of you share a small laugh.
“If you really need to, you could go into the Everfree forest too, it’s bordered right off there. A place to grind with your sword.”
>He takes a look at his new weapon, looking a little sad already that he hasn’t gotten to use it yet.
“Or you could use it to help defend the town from whatever threats they might attract in the future. They could use a real fighter like you, you know.”
>”Aren’t you one?”
>You smile and take a small glance at the markings on your palm.
>”Maybe… But I like to think I’m a doctor first, fighter second. But, it’s just a thought. I don’t even know how much houses cost here anyways.”
>Gable shrugs.
>”Just depends on the venue. If you really throw me into a dirty vat like Ponyville, it couldn’t be more than 5,000 bits to foreclose on a good home… My goal’s in the Gryphon Kingdom, though.”
“There’s a gryphon kingdom?”
>Gable looks a little offended.
>”Of course there is, where do you think we come from?”
>You never really thought about it.
>To be quaint, you figured all the races just lived in harmony.
>Guess that’s not the case. Just like home.
>”It’s a whole other country. Much different than here, anyways. I’ve got my eye on a city called Reigetalon. That’s where my old friend Gordrai lives.”
“Grodrai?”
>”Yeah. Friend and teacher, anyways. Taught me everything I know.”
>So he wants to go live with his old friend.
“Good to know.”
>”I really hope you come through with your promises, Anon. Otherwise I’d be stuck in hell.”
>You’re very aware.
>After this, the conversation dies down, and your curiosity begins to perk in the silence.
>Your gaze keeps wandering towards Pinkie, whom you’ve noticed is much less cheery than the beginning of this whole journey.
“Hey Pinkie?”
>Hearing her name, her ears perk up and she looks back.
>”Oh, hi Nonny!”
“Can we talk for a little bit? Really bored back here.”
>A genuine smile plants itself on her face, and she leaps back to your side.
>A single leap.
>Through the snow.
“...Well, uh, thanks.”
>”So what’s in that noggin of yours, Nonny? I had stuff in my noggin but I had to clean it out one day but it’s better now but there could still be some in there ‘cause one time a few days ago I was bouncing my head back and forth and I heard a lot of rattles--”
“Pinkie!”
>”Oh, sorry!”
“It’s alright. I just wanted to ask you something.”
>She gives you a smile, but it wasn’t quite as bright as before.
“...You're looking kind of down, Ms. Party Pony. Anything you wanna talk about? I'm all ears.”
>Once she knows you’ve noticed, she seems to perk down, her mane growing ever flatter.
>”Oh.. I-I’m fine, it’s really okay. I’m just a little in the dumps ‘cause of Dashie and I just hope she’s okay.”
>That’s probably a real reason, but it’s not why she’s like this.
“I miss her too. We’ll get her back, don’t worry. But… I don’t think that’s all. What’s on your mind, Pinkie? I won’t tell anypony else.”
>She looks up at you with those big blue saucers for eyes.
“Trust me. I wouldn’t ever do anything to harm you.”
>”Uhm… I gotta go!”
>She begins to trudge forward to leave the conversation.
>Should you press further, or let it go for now?


>You need to make sure she’s okay.
“Please tell me what's going on. I might not be able to help with whatever you're feeling, but you know I care about you and support you. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn't do for you, Pinkie. Please tell me.”
>Pinkie looks back at you, and if it weren’t for the snow clouding your vision, you would swear you see tears in her eyes.
>Whatever it might be goes away quickly, but she bounds back and raises herself up to your ear for a moment, whispering.
>”I’ll tell you later if we can be alone… I don’t want anypony else overhearing, kay?”
>You nod at her, and a warmth overtakes you cheek before Pinkie returns to her friends out in the front.
>She just kissed you.
>It’s much more serious than last time.
>You definitely want to make sure to catch her alone at some point.
>At least she said she’d let you in, and that’s all you need.
>Now to hurry along.
>...
>You didn’t get much time to practice your magic since you’re lugging this sled around, so that’s a bust.
>You and your party come across the convergence of the three roads you initially passed yesterday, which means you’re very close.
>You can even see the bubble protecting the city from here.
>In front of you, the road leads on towards the city.
>To the right, however, is a small dark crevice with multiple colorful gleams inside.
>To the left is an interesting sink of snow like a valley, and there’s something sticking out of it.
>Where would you like to go?



>You steadily let down the ropes to the sled and start walking to the left.
“I’ll just be a second, guys. I want to check this out real quick.”
>The party acknowledges your action, Redheart doing so vocally.
>”Just be careful, babe!”
>You slowly approach the dense snow-filled area, and you try and be careful not to slip in.
>That fails.
>Your feet slip out from under you as the snow begins to trail directly into the object that was protruding from it.
>It’s some sort of ice patch that reflects the light, disguising what this truly is.
>It’s a sinkhole.
>You aren’t even able to pull yourself up!
>You hear the yells and screams of your party members, and you even feel a rope try and catch around your wrist.
>It misses, as you’re already sinking into the center.
>Snow and ice piles on top of you and begins to suffocate you, burning your skin with the cold and death that embraces you quickly.
>You feel your life slip away as your lungs are blocked by the packed snow.
[You have died.]

>...
>You feel your body slipping into a dark, unfeeling abyss, and flashes of light begin to circle around you, revealing your most recent memories as the brightest.
>You see yourself in many of these memories…
-You see a group of mares breaking ground through the snow in front of you.
-You see darkness all around, the only light being the glint of a claw.
-You see a gryphon in front of you, about to strike him down with your own hand.

>But you also see a wide, swirling portal above these memories, a powerful feeling surging through your mind when you look at it.
>Where would you like to return to?



>You see the portal, but you can’t seem to will yourself towards it.
>But you look down, and only see that your body has been left behind.
>Your mind warps through the portal at intense speeds, until you feel it being stretched beyond infinite measure…

…
[REDIRECTING MIND…]
>...

>”PULL HIM OUT! PLEASE!”
>”AH’M TRYIN’, HE WON’T BUDGE!”
>”Get out of the way, let me do it!”
>You are Redheart.
>And you’re standing in the middle of the tundra, watching him die.
>Maybe it’s too late.
>Maybe he’s already dead.
>But you can’t do anything about it.
>You watch as Gable and AJ and Iron Will dig through the snow, trying to reach the fallen hero…
>But it’s too late.
>You know it’s too late.
>He’s gone, and you’ll never see him again.
>Pinkie and Berry are trying to help them, but they know it’s all futile.
>You slowly sit on the ground, your tears unbridled as they slide into the fur under your cheeks.
>It takes everyone a moment to realize what you’ve known from the start.
>They look at you, and their faces fall.
>AJ, Pinkie and Berry slowly walk over to you, putting hooves around you as you hear them sniffling… sobbing… crying.
>It’s been too long.
>He’s beyond saving.
>Gable and Iron Will come to terms with this, snow buried in their hands and talons and staring at the new grave of Anonymous.
>He’s gone.
>And you don’t know how to keep going.
>You all stare at the hole that claimed him, the tears freezing within the tundra.

“Please… Let him come back… Anon… I love you… please don’t go...”


>You feel your mind slipping away from the scene of the friends you’ve come to make and realize that it was all what happened when you passed.
>You are determined not to make the same mistake.
>You return to the field of memories, and you select the snowstorm, your mind plunging into the depths of reality itself.
>...

[SAVE FILE LOADED]


>You need to make sure she’s okay.
“Please tell me what's going on. I might not be able to help with whatever you're feeling, but you know I care about you and support you. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn't do for you, Pinkie. Please tell me.”
>Pinkie looks back at you, and if it weren’t for the snow clouding your vision, you would swear you see tears in her eyes.
>Whatever it might be goes away quickly, but she bounds back and raises herself up to your ear for a moment, whispering.
>”I’ll tell you later if we can be alone… I don’t want anypony else overhearing, kay?”
>You nod at her, and a warmth overtakes you cheek before Pinkie returns to her friends out in the front.
>She just kissed you.
>It’s much more serious than last time.
>You definitely want to make sure to catch her alone at some point.
>At least she said she’d let you in, and that’s all you need.
>Now to hurry along.
>...
>You didn’t get much time to practice your magic since you’re lugging this sled around, so that’s a bust.
>You and your party come across the convergence of the three roads you initially passed yesterday, which means you’re very close.
>You can even see the bubble protecting the city from here.
>In front of you, the road leads on towards the city.
>To the right, however, is a small dark crevice with multiple colorful gleams inside.
>To the left is an interesting sink of snow like a valley, and there’s something sticking out of it.
>You have a very innate sense telling you not to go to the left.
>Where would you like to go?



>You pull out your phone in a sense of forethought suddenly finding its way to your conscious mind, and try to open it up to the camera app.
>When you attempt to turn on the phone, the button suddenly becomes stuck in its casing.
>It’s far too frozen to operate in such frigid temperatures right now.
“So much for that…”
>Where would you like to go?



>You set down the ropes on your sled and pull up your torch.
“I’m just gonna check out this little crevice here real quick. I won’t be long at all.”
>Gable sighs and pulls the ropes off him as well.
>”Good, thank you. IRON!”
>Iron looks back from the front of the group and starts to approach Gable as you yell out to the party, already beginning to climb down the hillside.
“I’ll let you guys know if there’s something up if my gun goes off. Like I said, I’ll be quick about it!”
>”Got it!”
>You hear idle conversation and a careful statement from Redheart to you as you make your way down, torch in front as you begin to inspect the cavity in the ground.
>The gleaming comes closer in your eyes, and from the torch’s light, you can finally see it in greater detail.
>It’s a node with a whole lot of gems!
>These are big gems, with some rare ones inside, too.
>Your free hand goes to the pickaxe being held behind your bag, but then you notice something.
>It’s not a node.
>The gems are sticking out of something grey, but it’s not rock… it’s fur.
“Oh boy…”
>Your slip of the tongue makes the fake node twitch, and all of a sudden you see paws flying out of the crevice and landing right in front of you.
>It’s a snow leopard, and it’s pissed.
>The eyes are sunken in and the skin is much paler, but it isn’t quite corrupted yet.
>What you’re wondering though is why it has gems sticking out of its body.
>Yet… It’s not attacking you.
>It’s baring its teeth and probably wants to kill you, but it’s not coming after you like the bears or the other animals.
>What do you do?



>Your free hand moves from the pickaxe to the blowdart on the loop of your belt, and you slowly load it with a sleeping dart.
“Good leopard… you’re doing just fine… stay there…”
>You try your best not to make any sudden movements as you raise the blowdart to your lips, aiming carefully as you line up the sight between your eyes directly at the leopard.
>Then you blow!
>The dart catches on the wind, and it misses!
“FOR FUCK’S SAKE!”
>The leopard is angered by this act of aggression and roars at you, lifting itself out of the snow and pouncing for you!

[BATTLE START] [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcPPgqT3VfU ]
Anon: [HP: 130/130][MP: 20/20]
Gem Leopard: [HP: 500/500]
>Gem Leopard is too fast, attacking you first!
[AWAITING ENEMY ATTACK…]
>Gem Leopard attacks you with Pounce!
>7 (+75 PA) = >82<
>You manage to dodge some of it and avoid suffering major bleeding!
[-20 PD]
>62<
Anon: [HP: 68/130][MP: 20/20]
[AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
1
[ANONYMOUS]
>Used Shoot dart!
>You blow through the blowdart once more…
>But it misses!
“I really should’ve learned this from Zecora during the daytime…”
[AWAITING ENEMY ATTACK…]
>Gem Leopard attacks you with Shine Swipe!
>2/2 (+40 PA/+20 MA) = >64<
[-20 PD, -25 MD]
>22<
Anon: [HP: 46/130][MP: 20/20] “Ghh, not good…”
[AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
2
[ANONYMOUS]
>Used Shoot Dart!
>You load up your blowdart one more time, firing with cautious precision!
>The dart slices through the air with powerful projectile speed and injects the contents into the Gem Leopard’s neck!
>Gem Leopard is asleep!
[AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
3

[ANONYMOUS]
>Ran away from battle!
>...

>You quickly throw yourself up the hill, and by the time you make it to the crest where your party is, you’re slashed, bloodied and panting heavily.
>They notice instantly, Red rushing over to you.
>”Oh Celestia, what happened to you, Anon?”
“... Leopard… gems... all over it…”
>You look up and you can almost see the cash signs in Iron Will’s eyes.
>“Brother, do you know how much those gems on that pussy’s back are?!”
“...N-no..”
>He comes up to you and meets you eye level.
>”Let me put it this way… Ching. Ching. Ching.”
>Interesting, but you’re bleeding out once again because of your curious nature.
>What would you like to do?



>Used medkit
>25% (+50% skil) = 75%
>+98 HP<
Anon: [HP: 130/130][MP: 20/20]

>After you finish patching yourself up, you look at the six of them intently.
“Okay… I shot the thing with a sleeping dart, so it should be knocked out. Come with me real quick in case it gets back up, okay?”
>The party comes with you down the hill, leading them to the leopard that still has the dart sticking out of its neck.
>”Woah, what happened here?”
>You turn to them with a sheepish grin.
“Well, I ran into this Gem Leopard here. Then my inner Jew got the better of me.”
>Gable looks at you like you’re a nutcase.
>”Your inner what?”
>Not feeling like going into details, you respond.
“I got greedy.”
>There is a collective “oh”, then you speak.
“I thought we could use the money, so I tried blowing a dart at it to put it to sleep. I missed, and it attacked.”
>Gable steps forward.
>”So, it’s asleep now. We could use this as a chance to take the gems, or leave it be.”
>Applejack responds.
>”That’s true, and we really COULD use the bits… What do y’all suppose we do with it?”
>Next up is Berry.
>”Really, I’d say take them. It doesn’t hurt to have  those things removed, right?”
>Redheart shakes her head.
>”I’ve seen some studies on them. It’s almost the same as trimming their hair, or cutting their claws.”
>Iron Will crosses his bulky arms.
>”The thing is, even if it’s a wild animal, we’d still be taking what belongs to it. Now I’m no animal rights activist, but I’d be pretty ANGRY if someone tried that out on me!”
>He’s got a point.
>The party turns to you, apparently leaving it up to you to decide.
>Do you leave it, or harvest the gems?