Equestria: Across the Multiverse - Jaunt 80

Jaunt 80.0 - Comickook

(OOC: Here's something else I've been thinking of for a while)

At Jaunting Headquarters, Mainline Spike is talking to two of his counterparts, both of whom are princes. One was from the Inverted Ages universe and the other was a pony and Celestia's biological son.

"So you finally got your wings, huh?" Inverted Ages Spike asked his mainline counterpart.

"Yeah. From the molt a few weeks ago. I'll admit that it's taking some getting used to, even if I AM making better headway at it than my world's Twilight did when SHE got her wings." Mainline Spike confirmed

"Yeah. I can vouch for that. I might not have been QUITE as close to my Twilight as you two are to yours, but I DO still consider her a pretty friend and HAVE seen how hard it was for her to get used to her wings when she got them." Pony Prince Spike admitted.

"But enough of that for now. Are you two up for some O & O?" Mainline Spike asked his counterparts.

"you bet I am!" Inverted Ages Spike answered before adding "And I've even got a campaign all planned out from a very recent adventure my friends and I had concerning Chrysalis and a group of evil clones of us that she created."

Inverted Ages Spike went on to tell his counterparts about how Chrysalis kidnapped six of the students at the Friendship School several months ago to put Equestria on the brink of a multi-prong war and, when he and his friends worked together to foil the scheme and rescue the kidnapped students.

Then, very recently, Chrysalis, in a series of disguises, collected genetic material from him and his friends to create a gang of evil clones. Chrysalis and the clones then picked off Spike and his friends one-by-one with the benefits of both superior numbers AND the element of surprise. All six of the Element Bearers and Starlight were then placed in a comically over-the-top death trap that Chrysalis had obviously spent MONTHS working on. Chrysalis then disguised herself as Starlight and had the Element Bearers' clones take the genuine articles' places at the friendship school in an elaborate scheme to corrupt the students.

Using teamwork, though, Spike and his friends escaped from Chrysalis's trap and then got the clones fighting amongst themselves with a series of cleverly rigged "double-crosses". At that point, they took down the clones with a well-timed sneak attack and then finally defeated and captured Chrysalis.

"I have to admit, I got inspired to create an O & O campaign BASED on that adventure." Inverted Ages Spike confessed in conclusion

(OOC 2: I hope the creator of the Inverted Ages universe doesn't mind me coming up with that idea. I admit I got the idea for Chrysalis being behind the Student Six's disappearance from something an internet friend of mine mentioned in a message on FiMFiction. The idea for the modifications for "the Mean Six" in at least ONE of the alternate universes, well, I admit that I just thought it would make more sense than what Chrysalis actually attempted. Anyway, on to the next part of this jaunt idea -)

*******************************

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Jaunting HQ, the mainline Cutie Mark Crusaders are talking to the Inverted Ages Cutie Mark Crusaders - filly versions of Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity.

"So the four of you ended up fighting Eclipse just as WE did in our universe?" Apple Bloom inquired the younger versions of four of her universe's Element Bearers.

"Yeah. That was an adventure we aren't likely to forget any time soon." Sweetie Belle and Inverted Ages Rarity admitted at the same time.

"Yeah. No kidding. But at least we solved the mysteries AND made a new friend." Inverted Ages Twilight added.

(OOC 3: Couldn't resist a passing reference to the six-part "Ponyville Mysteries" novel series which recently drew to a close, but now has a short series of sequels in the comics [the second issue of which should be released in a week and a half, give or take]. And, yeah, it played out fairly similarly in the Inverted Ages universe, just with Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow and Rarity as the main characters instead of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle [maybe not identically given that Twi and the others have different talents than the mainline Crusaders and there are four of them instead of three, but still reasonably similar])

Jaunt 80.1 - BrutalityInc Shadow Ops Pt 6

Things moved quickly after Wraith Squadron’s infiltration and Merosoma’s interrogation. Both sources yielded valuable amounts of intelligence about the disposition of the Black Hiver forces. Areas highlighted by the scans from the orbiting Shadow Legionnaire strike cruiser were identified in their functions; important soldiers and commanders among the Black Hiver Changelings for elimination and/or capture - as well as a very few non-combatants that needed to be spared the coming assault; various routines, protocols, tactics and strategies the rank and file as well as commanders follow daily and in event of an attack; the exact capabilities in weapons and resources that they possessed as well as whom, how, when they would use them and where they have stored them. They will all be accounted for in their final plan of attack - and even be used against the Black Hivers.

Above all else, they had found critical information on what Chrysalis herself is doing at this time. Ever since the failed raids on Ponyville and the Crystal Empire, she had been secluded within her personal bedchambers deep within the volcanic base - ‘Planning their next move’, or so the Black Hivers had been told, but more likely sulking and brooding from her reactions immediately after the raids and the emotions still radiating from her door. Of course, there’s no guarantee that is all she is doing; and certainly, she would not sit idly by if her base comes under attack, or have a brainwave and decides to really plan her next diabolical plot against the local Equestrians. But at least it had been definitively confirmed, as much as they could under these circumstances, that she is definitely in the base and not elsewhere, and would highly likely remain so for the coming few days.

The situation couldn’t more perfect. And that was less than a day after they had arrived. Now, for the next steps leading to the main assault on the third day for tonight and tomorrow could be planned and readied.

“Chrysalis is going to be the single biggest threat.” Shining Armour noted, once more in front of the holographic projector, now marking their target base with updated intel. “For all her faults, she is still a shrewd schemer and tactician, not to mention a powerful magic user and combatant. If she could take command of her troops and support them, even our best laid plans would be foiled.”

“Prudent would be to have multiple contingency plans for that confrontation…” Captain Artrume concurred. The Shadow Legion is notorious for always having contingency plans for almost every conceivable scenario. Already, she has devised three alternative battle-plans to follow for any last-moment changes in circumstances, and no less than two retreat plans if withdrawal proved necessary. “However, I believe what we have in mind should be enough to remove her from the board, at least long enough to ensure our primary plan succeeds.”

“Are you sure that your plan can distract her and take her down?” Major Bright Spark inquired, uncertainty in his voice. He had reviewed what Captain Artume had in mind for the duel - assuming that’s not merely what she wanted him to believe was her plan to defeat Chrysalis for security reasons - and thought that it was audacious even for a Space Legionnaire captain.

“I believe so, Prince-Regent. If all goes well, we should be able to neutralize her in the opening moves…” Captain Artrume reassured, “And even in the event we cannot, it would all be ensured that she would not be take command and organize her forces to resist our operation.”

“Then we best move our pieces into place and prepare for the main event; but that still leaves one problem.” Major Bright Spark noted, now joining the Shadow Legionnaire commander and Crystal Empire Prince-Regent at the projector, “Captain, your plan calls for you and your battle-sisters to be inserted into the volcano base tomorrow to confirm Wraith Squad’s reconnaissance and make all the necessary preparations to stack the odds in our favour.”

“That is correct; this shall be performed via teleportation. Our strike cruiser is in orbit over the planet, and we have provided Wraith Squadron with the teleportation beacons that would enable our vessel’s cognicator to triangulate onto the exact location where they could place them and begin our own infiltration.” Captain Artume repeated. She then added, “At least, that is the original plan, but I can see why it may be difficult to execute for this step.”

“That coven of battle-mages…” Bright Spark confirmed, pointing to one of the smaller chambers of the volcano base, marked on the holographic projection, “While they are few, and not top of the line compared to the ones now on King Thorax’s side, they would be the second biggest threat to our operation, next to Chrysalis’ own praetorian guards. We were expecting this, of course, but we didn’t account for the various wards and augury spell-works they had casted all over the base. Much more than we expected at their skills and resources, and some they are not known to possess prior to First Contact with our Equestria.”

“Wouldn’t be surprised if Chrysalis decided on desperate measures and decided to accelerate their learning course, if not cast them herself.” Shining Armour postulated, “And as a magic-user herself she might look out for powerful magics first before moving on to more mundane weapon. They would be dealt with; that would fall to Wraith Squadron in addition to various critical sabotages and assassinations, but that wouldn’t happen until zero hour. Taking them out too early would immediately alert them that we’re here and ready to attack. Tampering with the wards system is impossible with no spellcasters in Wrath Squadron, and will likely trigger the alarms.”

“Which would leave them free to maintain and monitor the system of arcane wards.” Artrume noted. This include the detection spells that would sense the Aetherean-based teleportation of the Hegemony, and the so-called ‘Cloister Spell’ that would ordinarily prevent such teleportations in the first place. “Our teleportarium should be powerful enough to burn through their Cloister and enable insertion, but such levels of power would be instantly detectable even without the wards system by the sorcerers and the witch… That wouldn’t be a problem at zero hour, but any earlier would again alert them to our presence.”

“Are there any other ways of insertion apart from teleportation?"

“There are several alternative approaches, but all of them are much more time- and effort-consuming than a straightforward teleportation insertion, and would run into other problems of their own...” Artrume noted, shaking her helmed head, “Leaving us little time to carry out all the necessary preparations for our assault, and various tactical considerations meant that we must make this attack on day three, as any delay would incur loss of our current advantages, putting our mission’s success into doubt.”

Shining Armour frowned deeply in thought as he ruminated on their options, “If only there’s a way for us to go around the Cloister field without triggering the sensing wards…”

Just then, there was a rumble of thunder in the air, coming from the skies above. A storm is coming, but while that isn’t abnormal in itself, Shining Armour suddenly felt his hairs rising and his arcanic senses tingling from strange, erratic buildups of magic. Looking at the Shadow Legionnaire Librarian Darken Dreams, he noticed that she could feel it too.

“Captain, I’m sensing unusual activity in the local Aetherean field,” Darken Dreams reported, suddenly stiffening in alarm, “Our Armours’ sensors are also detecting abnormal increase and patterns of Aetherean energies...”

“I sense it too;” Bright Spark notified, but then assured, “But don’t worry about it; that’s a Wild Storm buildup.”

“Wild Storm?” Shining Armour inquired.

“A natural magical phenomena that seems to be unique to several Equestrias, including this one.” Bright Spark ascertained, “Mostly caused by random spikes in wild magic interactions in a region, accumulating to a level that it starts affecting weather patterns and the local environment. Not only brings about sudden, unpredictable storms, but can also cause widespread magical interferences; a real headache to deal with if you’re not a trained spell-caster, and even the best enchantments and wards can be affected by random fluctuations for some time…”

Bright Spark’s eyes widened as he realized something. He looked to Shining Armour, who also seemed to had come to the same conclusion. They were not sure about Captain Artume behind her helm, though they knew given her status as a Legionnaire commander, she would had realized it too.

“Major, when will this Wild Storm hit? And how long does it last?” Shining Armour inquired, seeking confirmation on something.

“It usually lasts around no less than 24 hours.” Major Bright Spark reported, “Which means if it gathers now, it will reach its climax by tomorrow. Even after it passes, its effects can last about a week.”

Shining Armour nodded in understanding, a plan beginning to form in his mind, “... Captain, can your Hegemony’s teleportation technology compensate for such interferences?”

Captain Artrume patched in to her hidden channels to her strike cruiser in orbit, conversing with the tech-Legionnaires aboard, before she turned back to the others, “Nothing suggests they couldn’t, and with teleportation beacons we already provided? Yes, more than certain they can.”

“Good; because I have an idea!”

= = =

The Wild Storm did climaxed on the second day; bringing with it not only pouring rain and howling winds that swept across the jungles, but also blanketing the area with erratic arcane fluctuations.

Whilst the former was simple enough to deal with, namely suspending all patrols and foraging activities by retreating back into their volcano base, the latter proved to be a much more troublesome problem. True to the Black Hivers’ expectations, the interference caused by the Wild Storm’s chaotic magical activities caused significant disruptions in their wards, most notably the Cloister and Unplottable spells which had so far rendered futile all efforts to locate them by the Alliance.

As luck would have it for the Black Hivers, they were not stupid enough that they didn’t account for such things like Wild Storms, and the wards were due to be renewed with periodic re-casting rituals anyway to ensure they are up to strength. Sure, the Wild Storm might make things more difficult, but even for these battle mages, as long as they follow their given instructions carefully without deviation, there would not be any complications.

Some of them had wondered whether if their rituals could be modified such that it would improve their ease of casting and mana-efficiency, and had actually thought up a few ways to do so - but none dared to propose it. Their Queen taught them some of those wards, after all, and they were taught that their Queen is perfect. To suggests that these spells could be improved or modified would had been tantamount to implying that the Queen is fallible, and nothing less than terrible disgrace and horrible deaths await those who did such a thing.

So they never questioned any of their methods - just as they never questioned ANY of their orders. Even if these are desperate times, why would they do it now?

So it was, the few Black Hivers’ battle-mages went through the motions of reinforcing the wards and spells in the face of the Wild Storm. Normally, their Queen would do it herself, but with her still brooding, it was left up to them from start to finish. At their level of skills, it would require all of their concentration just to get it right. Tomes were reread in a hurry, spell-circles were drawn and redrawn to satisfaction, arguments over positioning of various magical components were sounded for over an hour, but at last, they were ready as they could be.

This couldn’t had been more perfect for Wraith Squad and the rest of the taskforce. With the sudden Wild Storm, all their normal schedules in the volcano base were disrupted, and the need to help out keeping the volcano base from being flooded or otherwise damaged by the storm had kept every-ling distracted and busy. And the magical interference from the storm, which even now is disrupting the magic of the wards and other arcane problems, would be more than enough to mask the insertion

‘Alpha’, in her disguise as Merosoma, filed off from the rest of the Black Hivers in their frantic activity as the storms rage, right as the ritual was scheduled to begin. Her timing was impeccable; she reached the spot she had carefully chosen just in time, and after checking to make sure no changeling was following her or seen her, quickly took out the teleportation homing beacon device given to her and placed it on the ground, activating it with the press of a few buttons.

The insertion occur right as the ritual began; the battle-mages chanted in their rituals, focusing their own magic to weave into the proper spells that would summon and channel greater levels of arcane energies, mending and empowering the necessary wards. Already, they could feel the wild magic infused in the storm disrupting the flow of magic, threatening to breach and spill out with devastating effects from the altars, artifacts and other magical objects that serve as the control points and capacitors of the wards and spells. They focused, chanting and casting with greater strength and concentrating, putting all their efforts in containing the erratic outfluxes, barely registering from their magical senses and the wards’ own warnings of the various unusual spikes of magical energies and phenomena all over the base...

… Including the sudden spike of energy in another part of the base as the Shadow Legion strike cruiser in orbit locked onto the teleportation homing beacon and teleported Captain Artrume and her fellow Shadow Legionnaires, pushing their power-plant as much as necessary to achieve an accurate lock. From their hideout, Shining Armour, Major Bright Spark and the other Royal Guards watched the holographic projection as the Shadow Legionnaires disappeared in wisps of light from the strike cruiser, having teleported there earlier by the teleportarium in preparation for the insertion.

In a testament of the Hegemony’s technological prowess, they reappeared without complications before Squad Leader ‘Alpha’, their first sight of the volcano base being the collapsed dead-end at the end of hardened lava-tunnel, turning around to see a pleasantly surprised Squad Leader ‘Alpha’, still in her disguise as Merosoma. They both shared a nod, and before Squad Leader ‘Alpha’ blinked twice, the two fellow Shadow Legionnaires had already disappeared through their secretive stealth arts, disappearing into the darkness from which they came to prepare themselves and the battlefield for their part in this operation.

Captain Artrume waited a minute longer before heading off, hoofing a metal box to Squad Leader ‘Alpha’. She opened it to find several canister-shaped objects, crimson-coloured with a very noticeable skull-shape adornment for decoration. “Grenades?” She asked, recognizing a familiar mechanism at the top.

“Highly specialized grenades.” Captain Artrume explained. Courtesy of the Culexus Temple of the Officio Assassinorum, of course, but no-pony had to know that. "Deploy these against the Changeling battle-mages and any other potent magic-users in order to neutralize their greatest asset. We’ll leave the details of their neutralization to your discretion.”

Squad Leader ‘Alpha’ nodded once more, closing the lid and looking back up. “Anything else I must know?”

She blinked, and saw that Captain Artrume was nowhere to be seen.

“Guess not…” She muttered, hurrying back down the tunnel before any Black Hivers noticed ‘Merosoma’ was missing for far too long. They have their own preparations to make, and Wraith Squadron has their own roles to prepare for. When Zero Hour hits, and Phase III began, they must all be ready.

= = =

Even a day after the Wild Storm, Chrysalis remained in her own bedchambers, brooding over the entire damnable situation she had been left in. She had told everyone - and herself - that she was merely secluding herself in privacy in order to plan their next move. But much as she wish that it was true, even she was having a hard time convincing herself this was the case. Not that she’ll ever admit it nor any of her minions contradict her, as not in their place to do.

She had the perfect plan to get back at the miserable little pastel-coloured chattels for all the setbacks that they had dealt to her plans to claim what is rightfully hers: supreme power over all in this world. Or she thought she had. They had ruined her second plan to conquer Equestria before it could even truly get going, and not only made that little treacherous worm Thorax a puppet king to rule over HER swarm and hive, but help him turn her serv - subjects into pastel-coloured freaks like themselves, who are now content to share love and make friends with other races instead of dominating and harvesting them like Changelings should.

That incensed her more than anything else, second only to seeing herself usurped by him and stripped of most of her authority and power. Changelings should rule as the superior life-forms they are, not lower themselves to be like any other races!

And it was all thanks to those meddling ‘Off-worlders’, those who call themselves the Alliance - countless little Equestrias and countless other miscreant worlds getting together because they know they can’t stand up for themselves against their betters - who helped this Equestria and the cattle Ponies see through her plan and act against it, and cheated her of her rightful victory. She didn’t know if there’s anypony else in this world or any other worlds whom she could possibly hate more than them.

She had heard from her spies and other hearsays about them - and she had dismissed many of them as lies, for the sheer impossibilities they represented in her mind. She had heard of a member world of this Alliance populated by gods, the divine counterparts of the ponies of Equestria and their descendants living together in peace and harmony in a bright future version of their world; another member had an empire of millions worlds spanning across a ‘galaxy’, built by a god-empress of Ponykind, that put all the empires and conquerors of their world - including her - to shame; another where dragons are the dominant species and many other races - including the Ponies - are genuinely nothing more than pets and cattle; she had heard of worlds where all their counterparts are robots, or cats, or ninjas and such, all strange places populated by strange people, wielding strange powers and doing strange things.

Worst of all, she heard there are counterparts of herself and her kind who, with or without being tainted by twisted essences like this world’s Thorax and many other Thoraxes are, are what these miserable Ponies call ‘good’ and allied with them, mirrors of herself and what her people are and meant to be.

Lies and fabrications, all of it, this she was sure of. They were exaggerating themselves and their own strength in order to make them seem greater than they are - after all, it was what she does and would do if the situation is reversed. And she grudgingly admit, they do seem powerful, but she knew she and her kind are superior in every way - even more than those weakling foolish counterparts of herself and their kind who allied with them. She would prevail over them, no matter how long it takes, and take back what is hers and this world, and maybe one day take her conquering swarm and take over all those other worlds as well.

When you are superior, believing one is destined to win no matter what, such a task doesn’t seem as nigh-impossible as it looks. She could take them all on, even in her dire straits, this she is utterly certain.

Well, she thought she ought to get back at the Off-worlders as much as she tries to get back her throne and back at those miserable Equestrians here. And the plan she conceived was supposed to do both perfectly; She had managed to procure the weapons and armour from one of the major members of the Alliance, those ‘Ponylanders’, and armed her own Changelings with them to use against the Equestrians in their attacks against Ponyville and the Crystal Empire; they are pretty powerful than anything they once had, despite their lack of magic, and there’s a poetic irony in using their allies’ own weapons against them.

But the greatest poetic justice - and pleasure - for herself would be managing to steal one of their lauded ‘Paladin Armour’ badges for her own use when she lead the attack against the Crystal Empire, taking that worthless stallion Shining Armour by surprise and pummelling him to half-to-death. That alone made the attacks worth all the trouble.

But she couldn’t destroy him, nor those Element Bearers and their beloved settlements like she had hoped; those Ponies rallied, both local and from beyond, and they managed to bring out all those powerful and fantastical toys, whether hidden artifacts within the Castles or newly-developed with Alliance help, and proceeded to rout her forces and force her into retreat. She had been furious in her outrage and denial, so much that not even the relative success of acquiring dozen more Paladin Badges in the last raid for her Praetorian Guards to use was of little consolation, especially with the less-than-optimal quantities acquired and the casualties they inflicted on her loyal changelings in the process.

She had seethed and sulked, trying to figure out what went wrong… and still unable to understand. It couldn’t possibly be her fault, she quickly decided; her certainly couldn’t had underestimate her foes. The Off-worlders, she decided once again, are to blame, derailing the natural outcome of events. Her might and cunning should had prevailed over a bunch of grass-eaters whose only defense was the ‘magic’ of friendship. She was superior to all in every way; how can she possibly failed against it?

Heedless of her inability to comprehend her mistakes and her foes’ true strength, today her anger and frustration had cooled enough that she could finally, truly plan her next moves rationally. She looked at a notepad under the fancy electric lights haphazardly wired in her chambers and across her volcano base; they contain details of her various plans and channels to acquire assets that would make them possible. One notable contact, highlighted in red, stood out among the others.

‘Much as I hate the look of her face, she has proven a reliable source for my needs so far…’ Chrysalis thought with a scowl, thinking of her contact. ‘... and at least prettier than her counterpart here. Hopefully she’ll have something more useful this time around - !’

Suddenly, there was a rumble, followed by tremors that startled her. Her magical senses cried out in alarm as the wards and augurs that they had placed around the base, masking their presence and securing it from intruders, suddenly flickered and died, fading away in moments, leaving a wake of arcane energies fluxing from the vanished spells.

“What - What just happened?!” Chrysalis cried out, standing up from her bed, moving towards the door, “What’s happening out there?!”

Two things stopped her in her tracks.

First, the electric lights suddenly died in her chambers, following a second rumble, leaving her in complete darkness.

Second, she noticed a number of sharp, long metal talons had suddenly appeared pressed against her neck, cackling with arcing energies that lit up her face.

“Yield if you value your life, renegade.” a vox-filtered voice, absent of any identity but threatening in timbre, resounded next to her. “Your schemes and ambitions ends today.”

“Who… what are you?!” Chrysalis demanded, not daring to move, but turned her eyes to see who it is that’s holding her life at talon-point. In the blackness, she beheld an armoured giant, barely visible in the talons’ light, covered with monstrous images of terror that send chills down her carapace.

“I am Judgement. I am Darkness...” Captain Artrume replied, staring back at her with menacing green visor eyes, as sounds of a battle began to filter through the walls, “I am Tenebris!”

Jaunt 80.2 - Alex Warlorn

Mainline Twilight was surprised when THEY got a visit from another reality. Being led by QUEEN Cadence of the Changelings and her small entourage of subjects.

Cadence in their reality had apparently challenged Chrysalis for the Changeling throne, and won... due to her being in their reality long lost twin sisters (fraternal, also Cadence was a natural born Alicorn in their world). Twilight though she knew what disgust was when she dimly thought about now being related in law to Blueblood... She now saw how childish and petty that had been.

As a result of this, the events involving Starlight, Discord, Throax, and Trixie and company saving Equestria from the Changelings never happened. Well, it did, but that had to do with Chrysalis' adopted daughter Princess Pitcher Plant, who was notably far less competent and less powerful than her foster mother had been.

But the point being, the Changelings had never metamorphosed... but they were all acting friendly and nice ANYWAY! Well, the ones who CHOSE to be nice... apparently there were Changelings who LIKED being bullies and the sense of superiority that came with being conquers, making up Pitcher Plant's much smaller hive that had been reduced to more bark than bite.

"But... how can you express your individuality when you all still look the same?" Asked the Prime version of the Friendship School's premiere changeling student.

"... Are you saying I HAVE TO look different to be an individual?" asked her still black counterpart.

"Uh, no no! That's not what I meant at all! Sorry, sorry!"

Mainline Princess Twilight noted these changelings were as loving, and yet more confident and decisive than the ones under Thorax's rule... she intended to never tell him that.