DAY 12
 
>Alright, after a slight bit of procrastination, we're back to see if our favorite purple filly will survive another night of shenanigans in this complicated adventure she's gotten herself wrapped up in.
 
>As per usual, I'll post the most recent summary of our quest thus far and then we'll get started shortly after:
 
Previously on My Little Dried Grapes…
>**Let Strawberry show you how to safely traverse the tile puzzle trap**
>Safely reach the treasure room
>**Raisin relinquishes Golden Box**
>Tell Strawberry to go and find the key that opens the box
>Stop Strawberry from entering Tezel’s Throne Room
>xXx Open the box yourself xXx
>**Dump out Piece of Granite**
>Formulate a plan to attack Tezel
>**Send Pinkie in to distract Tezel…**
>xXx Have Pinkie deliver the Golden Box directly to Tezel xXx
>(RIP) Pinkie is crushed, Tezel has the Adanemzurai(RIP)
>**Destroy the Crystal Phonograph**
>Tezel goes into a rampage; escape with remaining party members
>Escape from Throne Room; watch as two guards are assaulted by King Tezel
>Go back into Throne Room to assist one of the guards; avoid looking at carpet
>Lyra and Rarity come running into Throne Room; gigantic stone lion is chasing them
>**Save Guard; he stays inside the Treasure Room to stall the stone monster**
>xXx Run through main hall toward the entrance xXx
>**Have Rarity fix up Hayseed, give Hayseed to Raisin**
>Tezel comes back into his castle, namedrops on his fancy golden box, the “Adanmenzurai”
>Attempt to hide; Tezel finds the group
>Tezel takes the group outside to smash under the Titanio
>Regain control of Raisin, group hug before…
>HUG HAYSEED! PREVENT PERMADEATH!
 
>Back in town, you thank Celestia for being alive. Give Scootaloo a big hug, continue along to fetch Sweetie Belle (and give her a hug as well)
>Head into Library, obtain Twilight’s Earplugs
>--Send a letter to Princess Celestia telling her about the Adanemzurai --
>Head to the Town Square in search of Rarity
>Tell Sweetie Belle to give Rarity the Earplugs, Scoots to get some Elixir off of Pinkie while you fetch some grapes from Dad
>Obtain Grape Basket, look for your friends. Spike runs up to you with a letter in hand
>Read the letter. Princess Celestia asks you to confirm that you heard the name correctly
>xXx Confirm that you heard Sally tell you about the Adanemzurai xXx
>Scootaloo comes up behind you, hyper-active from consuming Snakeoil Sally’s Miracle Elixir
>Rarity and Sweetie Belle are heading into the Town Square; Rarity has equipped the Earplugs and is now focused
>Received a reply from Princess Celestia; learned that Luna was to be in town within the hour
 
>--Divide team up to accomplish mundane tasks you’ve done several times before—
(1/10 chance per turn (unlucky number 3) that Sweetie falls asleep or Scoots drives the fillies away with her voice. Rolled 4 times.)
>**Take Rarity with you to the secluded tree**
>Encounter Sally as you convince Rarity that all you need is the Adanemzurai
>Sally attempts to attack Raisin, but fails; she’s caught by Rarity’s Telekinesis
>Namedrop on the Golden Box, calling it the Adanemzurai, in front of Sally
>**Warn Sally about Princess Luna, she drops a bag of coins**
>Encounter the Treasure Seeker Fanatic
>**Stop Treasure Seeker Fanatic by singing to her**
>Rarity gets fed up with Raisin’s metagaming; ragequits back to her boutique with a stack of gold from the tree
>Try to store the Adanemzurai whilst singing to Treasure Seeker Fanatic; not enough room in bags
>--Dump Rocks, store Adanmenzurai—
>Stash Bag of Coins behind the garbage can in the Secluded Alleyway
>Sally leaves town, no sign of the Princess. Start heading back to Sugarcube Corner, leading Treasure Seeker. Pick up a stray derped filly
>Discover that Sweetie Belle has lost the fillies and that Scoots tried singing to them
>Plug up the Treasure Seeker and the fillies ears with Marshmallows; keep them calm
>Pinkie starts metagaming with you, mentioning the Crystal Phonograph from the previous run
>Luna has arrived in town
>Assign teammates to, yet again, take care of a mundane task for you whilst you go and meet with the Princess (probably a roll here, just sayin’).
>Luna is straight to business; asks you for the whereabouts of the Adanemzurai
 
>**Tell Luna that some fillies have been put under a weird spell; she commands her guards to gather all of the small ponies in town**
>xXx Surrender the Adanemzurai to the Princess xXx
>Get answers about the box’s functionality; found out that the box’s curse can be manipulated by storing a piece of oneself inside the box
>--Attempt to use Metagaming to trick the Princess into thinking you have psychic powers—
 
>Raisin, standing among a sea of her peers, speaks over their confused pleas for explanation in an attempt to corral the mighty Princess Luna into her party. Using her innate gift of metagaming/time travel, she’s able to tell the Princess about the things she’s seen over the mountains beyond the Everfree Forest. One of Luna’s guards confirms a piece of Raisin’s ‘vision’, seeing a giant stone bird flying around one of the mountain tops. Intrigued, the Princess waits by the entrance of the Town Hall to listen to what Raisin has to share.
 
>Tonight, you, my dedicated questers, have the opportunity to save sweet little Raisin’s life and the lives of her friends through your actions. Though things may not seem absolutely ideal, you have attained a vast amount of knowledge. I wish you the best of luck, as always.
---
>Standing amidst your fellow fillies and foals, you stare at Princess Luna with anticipation. She stares back, frozen with intrigue. Her guards stand ready at her side, emotionless and blank as her own expression. The box containing the mystical Adanemzurai is inches away from her chariot. Beyond the Princess, you see a small crowd of adult ponies outside.
 
>"An Earth filly with the gift of foresight... this is an unprecedented feat." The Princess seems eager to listen.
 
>You seem to have Luna's attention. What do you wish to share with her majesty?
 
Alright, this is delicate. We can't metagame too much.
 
Tell her that the presence of the stone bird indicates that Tezel still has some power without his box.
 
So, this is a bit of a predicament; there's no way Luna is letting us lead an expedition to kill Dagoth-Ur even if we are able to convince her he's a threat.
 
Our best best is to try to set the task on Pinkie or maybe Rarity, or on one of the other Elements.
 
Tell her we are pretty sure we can get the box open. All we need to do is hold it upside down when we open it and have another pony shut it as soon as whatever is inside falls out. After that she should be free to put a bit of herself in the box and we can find some way for it to make its way back to Tezel.
 
We have got to get the Adanemzurai back from Luna. Tell her that we need the box to defeat Tezel once and for all. It's gotta be the key to killing that jackass.
 
>opening the box
NOPE.AVI.BAT.TIFF.TXT.PNG
 
We were able to do it just fine before you nigger. Now that we are in a controlled situation and we know what we are doing we might not even need a potion to wake us up.
 
Also, how are we going to explain this to our parents?
 
They're not going to let us risk our lives, which was why keeping a low profile was important.
 
Why would we tell them we're leaving in the first place? If we just go, they'll assume we're either with the CMC or the princess, so no issues there.
 
 
We have business around town before we leave, in order to get the rocks and Applebloom.
 
Maybe you're right. Let's not worry about that until they approach us.
 
Yeah, I hate to say it, but sending that letter really fucked things up.
 
I say no saving unless we know for sure we won't be pressured into moving to Canterlot to be Equestria's youngest court adviser.
 
I also vote against committing Sudoku if we end up shooting ourselves in the foot. We have two lives so if shit hits the fan we should gather as much info as we can on this one and not worry about the consequences.
 
>You step up, your head held high. You address the Princess respectfully, but with determination. You know what you have to do and what you need to defeat Tezel.
 
>"Your Highness... I-" Your voice cracks. "...I would like to ask for your permission to... umm... if you could ask one of the Elements of Harmony to accompany me on a quest to The Castle in the Sand..." Your voice gets a little softer toward the end, but Luna seems to have caught it all.
 
>"To what end, my loyal citizen?" The Princess seems quite concerned. "Surely, you cannot hope to defeat Tezel. Celestia and I could not so many years ago... you have not a hope."
 
>You press on. "...I think we can... with the Adanemzurai."
 
>Luna stops you. "Raisin, we cannot allow this artifact to fall into Tezel's hands. If he obtains it, war will pour out over Equestria." The Princess loads the chest into her royal chariot.
 
>How do you wish to proceed?
 
Tell her that if we are fast we can open the box upside and dump the contents. All we would need is a pony to shut it, and maybe one of those elixirs Sally was selling if we pass out. Once the box is empty it should be safe to open and then she can put in a bit of herself.
 
Which is why you give it to Pinkie. I mean, you know firsthand that she can defeat this guy lickety split. When you were Nightmare Moon, your power almost certainly dwarfed his. With this box, we can put a bit of your mane in it and give Tezel's most powerful weapon over to you. After all, a Princess like you should have the honor of turning Tezel's trump card against him. But, we need the box to do that. Can't we destroy it if we get caught?"
 
Well what the fuck do you do, just take it from her? she's an alicorn; she'll stop us with her telekinesis and probably throw us in a dungeon for a while.
 
But Luna was very wary of the box before. I doubt she'd want to use it.
 
>When you were Nightmare Moon, your power almost certainly dwarfed his
 
Let's not say this.
 
Maybe appeal to how she remembers the old-fashioned way of sending adventurers on quests and showering them with gold and xp on return?
 
What if we just used logic and reason? If we can open the box and then force it shut by ourselves we should be able to do the same with the help of one of her guards.
 
>You watch as the Adanemzurai is placed inside the chariot, disappearing from view. You know that there must be a way to get Luna to see where you're coming from.
 
>"Princess... you mentioned earlier that the box put others under the owner's control, correct?"
 
>"Yes... but without a way to safely open i-"
 
>You cut her off mid sentence. "There is a way to open it. It's not safe, but it can be forced open. If we dump out that piece of Tezel and put something else in... like a piece of your mane..."
 
>Luna's eyes light up. "...Are you suggesting we... use THIS against Tezel?" She looks downright appalled. "To use such a devious, cursed relic on behalf of good would be... that's mad!"
 
>"What if we did? What if we opened it up and placed a piece of your mane inside? Tezel's armies would be under your command, wouldn't they?" You press on.
 
>The Princess looks perplexed. "...It's simply too dangerous, Raisin. We cannot allow you to put yourself in peril just to open this box... we don't even know if it can be opened without losing oneself to its curse..."
 
>It looks like she might be bending a little... a hopeful spark lights up in your heart.
 
Remember: If we open that thing then we open it upside down. I want that open and shut as fast as possible.
 
Just trust me on this. I Feel it can be done, and we need to try something.
You will be right here in case something goes wrong, there isn`t going to be a safer chance to try this.
Sure there is some risk, but the reward is astronomical.
 
"Let me try. I think I can, I KNOW I can." Give her our adventure face.
 
We should appeal to the whole "Endless cycle" thing. Remind her about Discord and her time as Nightmare. They are just procrastinating on the issue. It's inevitable that she will have to do this in the Future. Why not get it over with right now?
 
>"Your Highness..." As you speak, you notice that the crowd of fillies and foals has gone silent. "...I can open the box. I know I can. I just need some sort of energy booster after I do..."
 
>Luna stands in place, speechless. Her guards are looking back and forth between you and her. After a few long seconds, she speaks. "I will not allow you to put yourself in danger." Suddenly, you see the chest levitate out of her chariot and land on the wood floor before you with a thud. The lid unseals with a hiss as the Adanemzurai's brilliant case is once again exposed to the light of the afternoon sun.
 
>"If the Adanemzurai is to be opened..." She holds it up in the air. "...then it is I that shall open it."
 
>The guards instantly contest the statement. "Your Majesty!" Wedge steps forward. "As your personal guard, I cannot allow you to do this. If the box must be opened, then it is I that shall take on this burden." Without hesitation, Wedge takes the box in his hooves.
 
>Luna looks at you again. "Raisin... what do your visions tell you? Can we do this?" Her gaze is piercing.
FUUUUUCK.
 
I don't know what to say.
 
And I forgot to add: We will be watching and will close the box as soon as whatever is inside falls out.
 
say that we don't know what will happen if a pegasi or unicorn or alicorn opens the box.
 
This. Say for all we know anyone other than an earth pony will instantly succumb to the box.
 
"My dream showed me opening the box myself. That will work. Either you or your guard opening the box might work, but my vision showed me clearly. I KNOW that will work."
 
"We earth ponies have a distinct magic. It might not be the kind that we can cast willy nilly, and we can't fly, but I can feel it deep within me that I'll be safe."
 
>You think quickly. "My visions tell me that only an Earth pony can open the box without succumbing to its dark powers... at least, my visions show me opening the box just fine..." In the back of your mind, you remember the cold embrace and emptiness you felt when the box sat open in your hooves. You recall the panic that set in as your vision waned... and then the odd experience you had, apparently, through the eyes of your best friend.
 
>Luna seems apprehensive. She doesn't know how to respond. One of the fillies behind you yell out, "Let Raisin open it!" It sounds like Sweetie Belle. You turn, but cannot pick her out of the crowd.
 
>The Princess falls silent again. Finally, she plucks the Adanemzurai from Wedge. Slowly, the box inches it's way ever closer to you. She seems hesitant on letting you hold it. "...Raisin... you have saved our kingdom once before..." She swallows hard. "We... I trust you. Your determination is relentless... surely, you know what you are doing." She sets it down before you, swallowing hard. "If you know how to open it..."
 
>With the Adanemzurai's lustrous gold shape before you, a sharp fear quivers over your body as you contemplate opening the wretched artifact once again. You look to Luna, who seems incredibly nervous. The crowd of fillies and foals have backed away, leaving you in the dead center of the room.
 
>A silence falls over the hall. A hundred eyes watch you in silent apprehension.
 
Flip that box upside down, hold it up, and open it.
 
First call up Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
 
If Luna complains tell her they were with us in our vision and we're just being absolutely sure.
 
Yes. It won't matter if it's in front of a crowd or just by ourselves.
 
Make the preparations to revive us once we pass out, then open the box, pour the granite out, and close it.
 
 
>You feel a bead of sweat run down your face. Before you have at the cursed box once again, you decide to see if your friends are around.
 
>"...Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo?" You call out, stammering slightly. Luna looks at you with sympathetic eyes. You attest that you saw your friends by your side in your vision.
 
>Before the Princess can continue, Sweetie Belle walks forward out of the crowd. "...I'm with you, Raisin..." You quickly ask where Scootaloo went to. "Scootaloo? She was with Pinkie looking for the other fillies... I haven't seen her..."
 
>You make one announcement. "Uh... in my vision, I had a vial of that special elixir nearby. You know, the stuff that Sally was selling?"
 
>"The poison?" Luna looks at you suspiciously.
 
>Pinkie bursts passed the guards. "Oh yeah! I remember that! We gave Applebloom some when she dumped out the granite chip back in the Treasure Room!" The ponies in the room look about, confused. Pinkie simply withdraws a vial and sets it by your side. "Uh... let's not do the birthday thing next time... okay?" She looks about, then bounces out of the room. "Gotta find Scootaloo before she gets hurt!"
 
>The room is silent once again. Luna's confusion wears off as she looks back to you. "Should I even ask?"
 
>You now have a vial of elixir, Sweetie Belle on your left, and the Adanemzurai in front of you. Your heart thumps loudly in your chest. You think about Hayseed, hoping that she's not as scared as you.
 
Goddamn Pinkie, quit metagaming so hard.
 
Open, dump, shut.
 
Take a swig and be sure to tell Sweetie to pour some in your mouth if you start to faint.
 
Tell her that talking about it would probably best be left until after Tezel has been taken care of.
 
Let's turn that box upside down, open it, wait for the granite to fall out, then shut it.
 
DO IT FAGGOT
 
>With slight hesitation, you take the box up in your hooves. You hold it almost like you would hold your beloved doll.. the cold, gem encrusted box sends a chill down your spine. You feel the whole room step away from you, all but Sweetie Belle.
 
>You clasp onto the lid. The room takes a deep breath. With great strain, you pry at the lid. Luna is growing visibly more nervous. As you continue to pry, you can feel the lid start to lift ever so slightly. Your heart feels like it's going to beat out of your chest.
 
>In an instant, your vision is stolen from you by a piercing, blinding white light. An overwhelming sound seems to beat you into the floor, booming over and over again its will to dominate you... 'CONTROL'. You cannot see if the Piece of Granite has fallen out nor can you hear it over the frigid storm that rips the warmth out of your body.
 
>The box, you feel, has been open for long enough. You start to press the lid shut once more. With incredible effort, it resists your push. CONTROL... CONTROL... your body is blasted with the curse relentlessly. Suddenly, your vision returns.
 
>You fly through the air, slamming into the far wall of the Town Hall. You can hear a panic in the room. The Adanemzurai is resting on its side on the center of the floor, covered in a white smoke. Sweetie Belle is already next to you, shaking you. You cannot hear her very well.
 
>On the other side of the room, you see a smoldering Luna. The guards are moving her into the chariot and standing guard around the door. You can see the vial of elixir in Sweetie hooves as she offers the open bottle to you, her eyes slightly teary.
 
 
Drink that shit, and see what the damage is.
 
Check for the granite. Please oh please say that we got it.
 
ask sweetie what happened
 
ehh, she's an alicorn, she'll walk it off.
 
That or we just inadvertently killed a deity and going to have a high price on our heads.
 
>With just enough energy to lift your head, you lift up and let the lip of the elixir meet yours. As it pours into your mouth, you feel an overwhelming energy flood your body. In an instant, your vision returns, your hearing improves, and you feel alive. Life seems to have instantly been returned to you. Despite feeling like a million bits, you suppress your newfound energy to see what in Equestria just happened. You ask Sweetie to explain.
 
>"You were covered in a bright light... like magic." Sweetie is barely able to speak over the commotion of the panicked fillies and foals in the room. "Something fell out of the box. You looked like you couldn't close it, so Luna rushed over and slammed it shut... now she's..." Sweetie looks over to the chariot with the Princess in it. The royal ride takes off into the air and disappears from sight. Several guards remain. They try to calm down the citizens. Cries from outside demand explanation, but are not satisfied.
 
>"She put something in the box... I didn't see what, though." Sweetie continues. She looks like she's on the verge of crying. "Raisin... what was that? What happened to you?!"
 
>The guards clamor about, trying to keep all of the kids inside the Town Hall. You can see a lot of parents outside with horrified expressions on their faces.
 
Damn it, why didn't we tell Wedge or Sweetie to shut the box for us.
 
Give Sweetie the box. Tell her to not open it no matter what, then rush over to see if Luna is dead or not.
 
Well shit. But if the granite fell out, Tezel now longer has control of the box's powers, right?
 
Ask Sweetie Belle if Luna was hit after she put the thing in the box, or after she shut the box. Find Spike and send a letter apologizing for what just happened. Ask her if she can send news back on Luna's condition because we need to know if we can go ahead with the plan to put the Adanemzurai under her control.
 
Shit, how are we going to explain this one?
 
"Dear Princess Celestia,
 
Sorry for almost killing your sister. I told her to let me handle things, but she was just too stubborn. At least we'll remember her as a kind princess.
 
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
 
Your's truly, Raisin."
 
Let's send this letter if we win.
 
Don't forget the Xs and Os.
 
The curse is probably still on the box, but we shouldn't risk opening it a second time if Luna stashed something inside.
 
Take the granite piece and use it to replace the rocks in our inventory.
 
 
Grab the Adanemzurai. Looks like it's up to us once again.
 
>In the midst of the confusion, you walk over to the smoldering Adanemzurai. It looks much more alluring now for some reason... the gold seems to call out to you somehow. You glance around to see if Pinkie is around, then reach out to put your hooves on the mysterious, cursed box.
 
>In an instant, you feel a great, cool breath wash over you. It feels like a ghost going through your mind, a cool smoke. The guards look over to you, then jump back.
 
>"...Raisin...?" Sweetie Belle backs away from you. You can feel beyond the walls of the town hall... it's a feeling you cannot quite fully grasp. You hear a faint voice, though a whisper, that is louder than the commotion in the room.
 
>"Her eyes... what's happening to her?!" One of the parents outside collapse from terror.
 
>"...coo..coommmannn...ddd meee...." A distant whisper echoes in your head.
 
Well fuck we're in charge of it now.
 
Coddle the box and call it our precious.
 
Ssstupid unicornses, trying to our the precious from usss....
 
Well, for better or worse, I think we should start getting our party together and head for the Castle in the Sand.
 
Oh wow, we've got command huh? This is gonna be gooooood.
 
Don't give into our mild bondage fetish and give the box to Sweetie Belle. If the guards don't look like they're letting anyone leave, go upstairs and check out the balcony.
 
Give it to Sweetie Belle, find granite piece and add it to our inventory.
 
>Though you feel empowered by the Adanemzurai and calmed by its lustrous glow, you decide not to take any risks. You hand the Golden Box off to Sweetie Belle. She backs away as you attempt to give it to her. Seeing that she won't take it from your hooves, you set it down on the ground.
 
>Your senses dull and return to normal. The excitement you had from holding the Adanemzurai vanishes.
 
>Your display seems to have caused a sudden silence in the room. The guards begin to approach you hesitantly. "Now... stay calm, Raisin... we don't anyone to get hurt..."
 
Tell them that Luna managed to take control of the box. Ask them why they are freaking out.
 
Damn. I dont want to lie, but that might be our only way out of this. Maybe tell them we have to complete a task Luna assigned us?
 
"Nopony's getting hurt. I told you we could open the box and our plan worked. Now, it's time for ADVENTURE! Who will join me!?"
 
Well we need to get away from the guards. We might also want to move quickly. If Luna's seriously hurt, Celestia's gonna come down on our ass hard.
 
 
"I'm fine. Whatever Luna put in there, it worked."
 
Wrap the box in your CMC cape so you can carry it without having to touch it directly.
 
>You notice the guards edging ever so slightly closer to you and the Adanemzurai. Though this would normally make you feel rather nervous, having that golden box nearby fills you with sheer confidence. It's lustrous golden sides and brilliant gems appeal to your fondest memories and visions... you shake your head quick, then address the guards.
 
>"I'm fine. Whatever Luna put in there, it worked. I told you we could open the box and our plan worked!"
 
>The guards continue their approach. "Filly, you seem to know an awful lot about that cursed thing that nearly ended our Princess' reign..." Wedge continues, withdrawing a spear from his back. "...we're going to need you to come in for questioning... especially after that fancy eye thing you just did."
 
>You look at them funny. "Uh... what eye thing?"
 
>They ignore the question. Sweetie Belle grabs onto your tail, pulling you back toward the group of fillies and foals. The parents outside are protesting this display of hostility. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!" You hear your father growl excitedly from outside. You've never heard him this angry before.
 
"We have to follow our orders from Luna. We need to leave with the box and destroy it"
 
Tell them that there's no time. Tell them that they knew the Princess wanted Tezel stopped.
 
Dont mention Tezel. They probably dont know who he is.
 
Oh come on, we were doing so well.
 
>cross the street
>get hit by a car and die
>look both ways to make sure it is safe to cross the street
>get hit by a speeding car and die
>decide not to cross the street
>stabbed to death by a mugger
>RaisinQuestIRL.txt
 
Anyways, running won't do any good, that won't help our cause and they have wings anyway.
 
>You resist Sweetie's tug. Another guard behind behind Wedge is motioning to your group of peers. They start running outside, looking back at you as they go by. You can hear them muttering about how weird you always were. The room begins to clear as Wedge draws closer, his spear aimed at your neck.
 
>"Wait, hold on. Luna has given me explicit orders to destroy the bo-"
 
>"Liar!" Wedge snaps. "How do you know so much about Tezel, about this... thing? How did you know how to open it? Why were you so persistent? Did you know Luna was going to try and close it?" Wedge pressures you for answers. He jabs toward you with his spear, getting dangerously close to your face. "Talk, Traitor!"
 
"Y-You wouldn't really stab a filly, would you?"
 
 
"First, I opened it just by pulling on it. Two, we discussed this with Luna, the plan was to remove what was in the box and put in something that belonged to Luna. Third, I've saved Equestria once already, what makes you think I would want to throw that all away?"
 
"You're threatening a blank-flank with a weapon. You should be ashamed of yourself."
 
>"You're threatening a blank-flank with a weapon. You should be ashamed of yourself."
 
>Wedge looks off to the side, but his eyes return toward you. "All enemies of Equestria are treated equally, regardless of... age."
 
>"First, I opened it just by pulling on it. Two, we discussed this with Luna, the plan was to remove what was in the box and put in something that belonged to Luna. Third, I've saved Equestria once already, what makes you think I would want to throw that all away?" You deliver your speech with sincerity. He seems to lower his spear ever so slightly.
 
>You continue. "I didn't want this to happen. I was supposed to be the one that closed it, not her. No one was supposed to get hurt!"
 
>Wedge backs down. "...but... that doesn't explain what just happened..." He lifts his spear up again. You can still hear your dad protesting outside. "What was... that. That thing you just did? Didn't Luna take control of this thing?"
 
>You still wonder what he's talking about. "What are you talking about?"
 
>"That thing. With your eyes. They were glowing like... like you were using magic." He looks you over, realizing that you really don't have a clue what just happened. He lifts his spear up again, though it's a distance from your face now. "Could you please come with us, Raisin? We need some answers... and to make sure the Princess is okay..." You hear a set of shackles clinking on his hips.
 
Tell him that if we go with him everything that has happened today, everything that Luna has done, will be wasted. Tell him that since Luna now controls the box, and apparently we helped to take take control of the box, we can talk with her through it.
 
Say that if it would make him feel better he is free to hold his spear up against our neck while we use the box.
 
If we delay any longer, then Luna's sacrifice will have been for naught. I'll answer your questions here, or, maybe you can join me. You're trained for combat, maybe you can be the hero Luna needs."
 
Also, as anon pointed out, we might be moving closer to Celestia coming in to figure out what happened.
 
And if that happens, we've pretty much failed.
 
Tell the guard that you don't want to be shackled, and if there's a need for privacy, there's a second floor and a balcony to the town hall.
 
If he's intent on shackling us, then run.
 
 
"When I touched the box, I heard a very distant voice saying, 'command me.' I don't think Luna took control of it. I think she gave control of it to me."
 
"Please, I can't afford any more delay. For all I know, by tomorrow it could be too late."
 
 
>Desperate to get the guard to surrender, you press on. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know anything more. When I touched the box, I heard a ery distant voice saying, 'command me.' I don't think Luna took control of it. I think she gave control of it to me." You reason.
 
>The guard seems to be questioning his own judgment. His spear lowers to the ground. He stares at you, trying to figure out what to say. "Bu.. uh..."
 
>"Please, I can't afford any more delay. For all I know, by tomorrow it could be too late."
 
>"...what do you mean by that?" Wedge becomes a bit more defensive. You can hear a voice peep up from behind you.
 
>"Um... Wedge, was it?" Sweetie Belle finally chimes in. "Raisin is my best friend... um..." She quivers. "What she did was kind of scary... but... I think Raisin is telling the truth..." Sweetie elaborates. "She has been acting really strange lately with her powers and stuff, but... she's good. She's not a spy."
 
>Wedge sighs. He puts his spear away. "Raisin... little Raisin's friend... I don't know what's going on right now, but I do know that thing right there injured our beloved Princess." He continues. "You were holding that weapon when the Princess was injured, yes?"
 
>You stare at the guard.
 
>"...I'm really sorry, but as much as I'd like to help, we have some formalities when it comes to these kinds of things. I think that you really want to help, but you've got to answer for what just happened."
 
>The early mid afternoon sun hangs up in the sky, illuminating the variegated riot outside the town hall.
 
Tell him that he can either come with us and take us into custody when it is all over, or he can kill us. From what the con-gryphon told us and what we have learned from our newfound powers there will be roughly 100 unicorns, including the Element of Magic, dead by the end of the day if we do not act now.
 
"Would it make you happier if we sent a message to celestia directly? Twilight's pet dragon can send messages instantly. Why don't we wait here while he sends a message, and if the princess wants to bring me in, then I'll go without resistance."
 
Alright, questers. I know you may be thinking little Raisin's situation is hopeless, but that's nowhere near the case. Yes, the guard is pressuring you to come with him. You've gotta know better than to be a beta casual newfag scumlord; fuck that shit.
 
What other options could you possibly consider? What is at your disposal right now? Do you have a spear in your face anymore?
 
Strap on some balls and get brave!
 
 
Alright, I'll take the hint.
 
Dive for the box and use it to threaten the guards to let you and your friends go. Worst comes to worst they stab us and we reset.
 
The box will ask us to command it. Command it to save us.
 
Well then I guess we turn on alpha mode. Tell him that giving up now and going with him would be tantamount to treason after everything that Luna has done and with everything that is on the line. Tell him that thanks to Luna the box is now under our control and we can learn how to use it to defeat the current threat against Equestria. After that we will learn how to either destroy the box once and for all, or learn how to turn control of it over to the Princesses.
 
>Seeing that the guard is absolutely insistent on putting you into custody and taking you to Canterlot for questioning, you take this brief lapse in his stone-wall defense to dive for the lustrous, beautiful Adanemzurai. As you draw closer to the box, for the brief moment in time you feel suspended in the air. You see Wedge instinctively reaching for his spear.
 
>You touchdown on the wonderful, golden box. Immediately, you bring it up to your chest, hugging it tightly. Again, a cool, relaxing presence pours over you. You can feel the presence of all those around you, inside and outside the building. Again, the calm, peaceful whisper begs for your command.
 
>You hear a high pitched 'ting'. The Adanemzurai pushes against your stomach as Wedge's spear glances off of the box. The ding echoes out into the room, becoming an overwhelming noise. Wedge's eyes suddenly become blank, but he stands at attention.
 
>"Command me." He mutters. The other guards in the room look at one another, then back away slowly. The crowd outside doesn't appear to see what has happened; they continue to yell at the guards for threatening a harmless filly. Some of them see your eyes and shut up immediately.
 
>You feel overwhelmingly powerful. Strangely, you feel as though you can see through Wedge's eyes.
 
 
Uhh, oh shit.
 
"I release you from my command."
 
Tell Sweetie to get close and edge towards the door.
 
Go mad with power.
 
Tell Sweetie to stand by us, and move Wedge up to the balcony.
 
We're going to go for a ride.
 
Tell the other guards that we are trying to save Equestria and that we will put Wedge back to normal if they agree to let us go free.
 
Don't put it down. We can be responsible once we've put some distance between us and our captors.
 
Eh, fuck it. Let's ride.
 
>You decide to use this odd change of events to your advantage. Testing out your newfound control, you issue the pegasus a command.
 
>"Uh... Wedge! Kneel before your queen." You command him, unintentionally calling yourself a queen. "...wait, just me. Kneel before me." Queen sounded right in your head for some reason.
 
>The pegasus kneels down. You motion to Sweetie Belle to hop on. She looks at you in terror. "Raisin... what did you do?!" She looks at Wedge, seeing that his face lacks any emotion.
 
>"Hey, I'm just rolling with it. Jump on!"
 
>Sweetie shrugs. "Well... okay, I guess..." Reluctantly, she hops onto the pegasus.
 
>"Wedge, up." He rises instinctively. Automatically, he moves under you, walking towards the balcony. You feel his legs moving... it's a very odd yet empowering experience. You feel much taller.
 
>You look over your shoulder to the guards and the crowd. "I'll let him go when I get to the edge of town! Sorry, but I have to do this!" You call out. The crowd seems terrified as they look into your eyes.
 
>You reach the balcony. The warm summer breeze that would usually relax you seems to bring with it a ton of information. You can hear a song coming from the far west. You feel the presence of many ponies right under your feet. You can feel the wind flowing through Wedge's wings.
 
>"Um... Raisin, are you sure about this?" Sweetie holds onto you, hugging you close.
 
>Without a second thought, you make Wedge jump from the platform and take to the air. You never thought you'd have the opportunity to feel the air glide over your own set of feathery wings; it feels incredible. You're not a very competent flyer, however, only managing to glide to the street. You start running towards the Everfree Forest, a small platoon of guards hot on your trail.
 
>As you approach the town square, something seems to call out to you. You look around, the image of the statue in the middle of the town seeming to beg for your command. The whisper becomes a plea as you approach.
 
>You're heading through the now emptied town square. In the sky, you feel an incredible magic force...
 
Try commanding the statue to fly and attack all stone birds on sight.
 
Resist the urge to command the statue. Let's set down just inside the Everfree.
 
I think we need to haul ass to Tezel and the Castle before people start saying we killed the princess and bewitched her guards.
 
What should we grab before we go?
 
 
I wish we could have got Applebloom, Pinkie, and Scootaloo before we go, but this probably isn't the case.
 
Hey, just think to ourselves, "Gee, I wish Pinkie was here right now..."
 
Don't do anything stupid. Leave the statue be. We get too deep into the magic-use, and nothing good will come of it.
 
I agree. Try to go in the forest and move in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
 
 
>As you speed through town, you resist the overwhelming urge to stop and awaken the statue. You hear a whimper as you pass by; it fills you with a certain sadness, but you know better than to stop and experiment while you're being pursued. Using your acute senses, you dodge a small barricade of food stands as you gallop out of town towards the forest.
 
>Eventually, the guards appear to vanish into the distance, staying in town. Though you can feel Wedge's legs beneath you and run as if you were in his body, you do not feel at all strained or tired. The Adanemzurai, once an object of fear, seems to be the only thing you really need anymore. It provides you incredible comfort...
 
>"There's the forest..." Sweetie Belle sounds a little scared as you slow to a trot.
 
>You are now outside of the Everfree Forest, Wedge still under your guiding command. You calm Sweetie Belle down, telling her that everything's under control. Your control.
 
we should also probably release our control over the Adanemzurai soon. it sounds like we're getting hooked on it, fast.
 
I really want to give it to Sweetie, but I half suspect she'll get soul sucked the instant she touches it.
 
I say put it in our bag and give the piece of granite to Sweetie.
 
Let's recruit Applebloom
 
>You tell Sweetie Belle that you want to check on Applebloom. If you're still going out to the Castle in the Sand, you're going to want her by your side.
 
>"...Castle in the what now?" Sweetie Belle seems a bit confused. "You mentioned that once before... what is it?"
 
>"It's my home." You tell her casually. Suddenly, you realize what you just said. You shake your head, then hop down from Wedge. You remove your cape and wrap the Adanemzurai in the fabric. Your confidence seems to wane as your senses become dull and droll once more... normal, you say to yourself.
 
>You hoof the Piece of Granite over to Sweetie Belle. She stares at you still. "...your home? Raisin... is that thing messing with you?" You nod, saying that you suspect it's having some sort of effect on you. Wedge stands at the ready, his face still lacking of any emotion.
 
>"Wedge, you are released from my control." You speak authoritatively. Suddenly, the pegasus collapses. Sweetie panics. "Oh my gosh! Is he okay?!" She picks his head up. He's breathing, but appears to be unconscious.
 
>"He should be fine..."
 
So what the hell is going on with the box? We should have removed Tezel from it, but it still seems to be linked to him. Luna got rocked by it, but we have control over Wedge from it.
 
Is the box permanently linked to Tezel? Did we not empty it out? Did Wedge get something inside it?
 
I was hoping we could have ridden him to SAA to save time, but yes, tell Sweetie that the box is much more dangerous now. Tell her that you'd like to let her have it, but you're afraid it'll suck her soul out.
 
I honestly think the spell has a mind of its own at this point. It was carved from a part of Tezel, but now it has another master.
 
That, or Tezel was a slave to the box in the first place and he's only does what he does from its commanding influence.
 
>yfw the box is the real villain.
 
We should have tossed it into the white fire trap. I fucking bet that would have given us best end.
 
I think Tezel is insane no matter the condition of the box. He has gone full Gollum.
 
If this is true, goddamn Jr, you really pulled out all the stops. This shit has more twists than Metal Gear Solid.
 
>You start heading out towards Sweet Apple Acres, staying along the treeline.
 
>"Look, Sweetie Belle... I know I've been acting REALLY weird today.. like... REALLY weird..." You stop for a moment. "I'm sorry..."
 
>Sweetie Belle tilts her head back and forth. "Yeah.. it's okay, Raisin... It's been a really weird day... but you know something?" She looks over at you. "..this is actually kinda fun!" She seems chipper about the recent change of events. "It's not everyday your best friend gets crazy mind control powers!"
 
>You approach the sweet, fragrant apple orchard. There doesn't seem to be any guards out this way. You can see Big Mac hauling an apple cart around in the distance.
 
>"So... what's the plan?" Sweetie asks.
 
Why don't we get AB and the bomb and finish with us just about to set out for the mountains?
 
Approach Big Mac and ask if Applebloom is feeling better
 
did we ever get that pepermint jelly? don't we need that to avoid suffering the comedown effects of the elixir?
 
OH FUCK
 
OH FUCK
 
We have peppermint sticks stuck to Hayseed that we can use.
 
 
there's no telling that that'll work on its own.
 
Okay, we have one life left, we can try to use the peppermint canes, but if we die, then we know we need the jelly.
 
>GAME INFO: You do not have any Peppermint Jelly. You never got any from Sugarcube Corner. Scootaloo may have some, as she mentioned consuming some earlier, but that's just your best guess.
 
>As for Hayseed...
 
SHIT
 
CHECK OUR BAGS TO SEE IF SHE'S OKAY
 
>Inventory check:
Raisin: Boots, Stompstarter, CMC Cape+Adanemzurai, Vial of Glittering Sand, Nearly Full Bag of Marshmallows
 
AAAH
 
WHAT HAPPEN?
 
Shit, how did we lose her?
 
Did we set her down somewhere?
 
I thought we didn't remove her from our bags.
 
Shit, we can't go back to town now. I guess we'll just have to make the most of our handicap.
 
>GAME INFO: Between encountering Luna and opening the Adanemzurai, Hayseed seems to have disappeared from the inventory.
 
I BET IT WAS NEIGHTHAN, THAT FAT FUCK CAN'T KEEP HIS GRUBBY HOOVES TO HIMSELF. THAT OR SOME OVER THIEVING BITCH SAW AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN WERE PACKED SO CLOSELY TOGETHER.
 
...I hope she's alright.
 
I'll bet Niegthan is humping Hayseed in the Town hall bathroom as we speak.
 
 
LUNA PUT HAYSEED IN THE BOX
 
LUNA PUT HAYSEED IN THE BOX
 
LUNA PUT HAYSEED IN THE BOX
 
LUNA PUT HAYSEED IN THE BOX
 
LUNA PUT HAYSEED IN THE BOX
 
END OF DAY 12