Hsi Wu was somewhat unnerved that Audrey decided to follow him down the stairs, but was pretty certain the plant wouldn't attempt to eat him unless he broke his promise. As he had no intention of doing that, he did his best to ignore it as he raced down after the fillies and back into the chamber with the chest...where Jade had already lifted the lid, glowing runes marking the spatial binding spell she'd crafted. Hsi Wu could already see his tail bumping curiously against the wall of pure force that kept it from escaping, or even sensing his presence. "So how'd I do?" Jade asked eagerly.
"We're going to have to dock points because you opened the chest without letting us check the spell first," Scootaloo pointed out dryly.
"Aw, come on!" Jade complained bitterly.
"Potion mix seems good," Apple Bloom observed as she sniffed at the runes. "Nothin' unneeded mixed in, proportions about right..."
Sweetie's eyes glowed as she examined the magic. "Got the spell just right! Good job overall. It's safe for viewing, as long as no one touches the chest or spell wall."
"Why?" Jade asked curiously. "What happens if they do?"
"They'll leave fingerprints and we'll get in trouble," Scootaloo teased, causing all four girls to burst into giggles.
Hsi Wu approached carefully to get a good look at the tail. He seriously doubted fingerprints were a concern, but it did give him an excuse to not expose himself by touching good magic. It was still frustrating to see his tail so close but completely out of reach. After all, if he managed to acquire his tail through deception without causing any harm before the dance, one could assume the oath would be null and void. ...not that he'd break it even if it did work like that. He made a promise and he intended to keep it. He just loved finding loopholes too much not to try. "That is so cool," he murmured appreciatively to Jade, ready to start buttering her up towards friendship.
"I know, right?" Jade responded eagerly. After watching the tail wriggle around for a time, she closed the lid. "Pity there isn't really much else like that to show you..."
"Well, what do you do for fun around here?" Hsi Wu asked curiously, ready to start bonding.
"Feed me!" Audrey suddenly sang out.
Hsi Wu blinked. "Uh...what does he eat?"
"Feed me!"
"Just about anything," Scootaloo answered readily.
"Feed me!"
"But mostly the flesh of our enemies!" Sweetie Belle piped up happily, making Hsi Wu shiver slightly.
"Feed me, Seymour!" Audrey sang to Hsi Wu.
Apple Bloom turned a fisheye gaze Audrey's way. "Ya been waitin' a long time ta say that, ain't ya?"
Audrey shrugged, a huge grin on his bulb.
"How come you didn't make that joke when you met him upstairs?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
"If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right!" Audrey sang back.
"Wait, you took Seymour upstairs to introduce him to Audrey?" Jade demanded petulantly. "Geeze, girls, I expect that kind of thing from Jackie if I bring home a boyfriend! Don't you think that was a little overboard? What if you'd scared him away?"
"Then you could blame us for it, instead of getting depressed when he fled after getting to know you!" Sweetie Belle teased playfully.
"Why you!" Jade yelled, lunging for Sweetie as she raced up the stairs, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo quickly following. Not knowing what else to do, Hsi Wu followed along after them.
The path led up to the third floor, a chamber that still looked like it had grown rather than having been built. There was one large bed, an attached bathroom, a huge television, several game systems, bookshelves full of books, and an open chest full of games. Jade and Sweetie Belle were attacking each other with pillows when he got there.
Noticing his staring, Scootaloo grinned. "This is the guest room," she explained, "though we use it as the game room when we don't have a guest."
"Very nice," Hsi Wu purred as he looked around. Walking over to the chest, he looked through it until he spotted something he'd observed from within the Netherrealm, having always wanted to try it. "Can we play this?" he asked, pulling out the Dungeons and Dragons box set.
All four girls stopped and turned towards him. "Well, that does take a bit to set up..." Apple Bloom observed idly.
"Good reason for me to keep coming back?" Hsi Wu offered playfully.
"Let's see what you're made of!" Jade insisted as she grabbed the box and popped it open. "So who's dungeon master?"
"I'll do it!" Sweetie Belle insisted. "I've got the rules memorized."
"So what rules do you play by?" Hsi Wu asked as he flipped through the papers he was handed to make his character.
"We actually have our own set," Apple Bloom explained, pointed to a sheaf of documents. "We like to get creative."
Hsi Wu glanced through the rules packet before grinning. "I'm liking this 'Elementalist' class," he purred softly. "I can choose either to be a master of an element or be able to summon Elementals related to my level."
"Yeah, that's a fun one once it's leveled," Scootaloo agreed. "Especially the way we play. We don't stick to the core Elements. It's whatever Elements the DM says."
"So...does that mean I could summon Periodic Elementals?" Hsi Wu asked Sweetie Belle ingratiatingly.
"Science textbook stays in the backpack!" Sweetie snapped back, making the entire group laugh.
Once the characters were ready, Jade noticed something on the board. "What's this 'enhanced mode'?" she asked curiously, pointing to a labeled crystal embedded in the cardboard. "It's new."
"Let's find out!" Scootaloo declared eagerly, reaching over and twisting the crystal until it read '1 hour'.
The entire room blazed with light.
An hour later, the group popped back out of the game, looking somewhat breathless but all grinning ear to ear. "That...was...awesome!" Scootaloo squealed excitedly. "We actually became our characters inside the game world! We have to do that again next session!"
"Becoming the Dungeon Master is trippy," Sweetie Belle murmured thoughtfully as she rubbed her head. "It was like being everywhere and nowhere all at once..."
"Well, I think we've had enough of that for now," Jade murmured, putting the board away. "Time to veg out some. What do you want to watch, Seymour?"
Hsi Wu shook his head, resettling himself in his human body. "Well...actually, there's something Scootaloo mentioned earlier I was wondering about. What's a...sharknado?"
All four girls turned to stare at him. "Where have you been the past few years that you haven't heard of it?" Jade asked intently. "It's been all over SyFy and cable!"
Hsi Wu thought quickly. "I only just moved here, and I didn't have cable where I used to live."
"Damn, that sucks," Jade murmured sympathetically. She then grinned widely. "In that case, you're in for a treat!" Turning on the TV, she called up the movies in question.
Hsi Wu sat back, curious to see what human ingenuity had in store for him.
There's an extra Sweetie Belle in there.
Okay, that was pretty funny.
Nice save.
I wonder what will happen next? We'll "Hsi" what develops
Ah Sharknado one of the most imbecile movies there is yet still watched it 3 times.
Oh hell, he's gonna get ideas...
Okay, now it has to be posted.
Demon = Dangerous
Demon with the worse of Scyfi = Apocalypsis
Somehow I can imagine Shi Wu conquering the other realm
8227297
Demon whose friends with the CMC = end of the world
Who thinks he'll like the flick, and who thinks he'll loathe it? I'm in the latter camp myself.
... so the CMCs become big sister figures for Jade? Surely will make their 'real' big sisters proud.
Seems that mode really did enhance their experience.
Don't feed the troll Seymour. Don't feed the troll.
Did Sweetie become a disembodied hand, summon creatures, build a dungeon, kill heroes and have a snarky narrator voice? No? We'll that sounds like a terrible idea! Nobody would want to buy that!*
*read in voice actor of The Stanley Parable.
8227281
It already was, a long time ago, back when Audry was first introduced
8227321
The Sharknado movies are usually so bad, they are good imo. But still not something I would watch all the time.
8227321
I say hates the movie but loves the concept as a new spell
Sneaky, sneaky fillies. At this rate, Hsi Wu will be suborned in a week.
8227383
Go to 2:00 mark.
What if he's setting a Beauty and the Beast or a Megamind or a "love bet" scenario where Hsi learns to love Jade but Jade learns the truth? She leaves him in the rain but eventually they get back together.
8227263
Exactly my concern.
8227321
I think a little of both.
He will like the idea behind it, but hate the actual movie!
I see you do not like Redcloak for that stunt as well. Or should I call him Wrong Eye?
8227436 Don’t a LOT of people that have watched those things fit that category?
I can SO seeing our little “Seymour” dragging his “Big Sister” and her boyfriend into one of the girls D&D games, would make a HECK of chapter or two
I'm curious if the Demons know Discord...
Not sure if Hsi Wu's going to turn on everybody or not, but he is kinda cute in his own adorkable demon ways. Summoning periodic elements? Seriously?
8227463
Probably, considering they cause about the same amount of chaos.
That part got me
That D&D, though. The enhanced mode reminded me of both Jumanji and Ogres and Oubliettes
8227368 Kudos on that last part
8227463
Bai Tza had kids with him back when she was a siren...or did meeting him turn her into a demon...I forget.
I got a good laugh out of this chapter. I needed that. Thanks!
Is it wrong that I actually want ship Hsi Wu with Jade? Like actually have him become a full on team member? He seems to meld so well with the group so far. I know it’s just to get his tail back, but I want him to see him actually become friends with Jade and the CMC. Please?
I'll accept Hsi Wu becoming friends with Jade and the CMC, but please no shipping. I can't really see it working out even with this version of Hsi Wu.
Ha, I've been waiting for that Little Shop of Horrors joke for a while.
8227520
Nope, Hsi & Jade is a pretty common ship.
8227795
I did not know that. The more you know I guess.
8227306
Me, Who knows, maybe the end will be saved and in a future we have a Dark Jade Demon General and chibi demons around.
HECK YES!!! Is it wrong I can see the Demon Sorcerers on Earth playing the game and making comments on how certain things don't work the way they do in the game???
WHERE CAN I BUY THIS EDITION???? I NEED THIS!!! I WILL ACTUALLY BE RUNNING AROUND EXERCISING WHILE BEING A HUGE NERD!!!!!
8227928
Final Dungeon and Fantasy Dragons: special edition
Chapter One Hundred Twenty Two
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 46
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 80
Yeah!
This version of Sharknado better be better than the irl version, I mean they've got magic.
This is the sole reason you brought in Audrey, isn't it?
Because there was a character named Seymour. It was just to be able to use that joke, wasn't it?!
Because that is brilliant.
Also me.
Oh shiiiiit. Shots fired.
"I summon a Uranium Elemental!"
"I can see where you are going with this, but are you sure you want to do that?"
"Yes!"
"Alright, well, everyone's counter suddenly skyrockets way past 1000 rads and you all instantly die. New game?"
...Wait, what? This isn't going where I think it's going, is it? That'd be amazing. How long is this episode/arc going to last?
"I summon an Earth Elemental!"
*POOF*
"Cool! It looks just like my br--"
No, wait, in disguise, not my brother
"--like the Earth Demon Sor--"
No! No reason I would know what he looked like
"--like...a...a man-bear-pig! Made of rock!"
Smooooooth
OR
"I summon the element of Surprise!"
*POOF*
"...There's...nothing there."
"Don't worry, Sey, it happens to every gu--"
"AHHHH WHY IS THERE A PINK PONY HEAD STICKING OUT OF MY SHIRT!?!"
DAMMIT! YOU TEASE!
Eugh. Didn't like those movies.
8228125
Actually, Audrey III was originally meant to be a one shot joke. But everyone loved him, and Apple Bloom needed a way to keep her magic in check until she got her Cutie Mark.
Everything else snowballed from there.
8228128 Riiiiight.
8228126
Actually, more like:
"I summon a swarm of lesser Hydrogen Elementals."
"Those aren't all that useful, you know-"
"Inside the enemy formation. They're in range, right?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"And then the sorceress casts fireball!"
8228137
I think my favorite would be
"You are fighting some Water elementals."
"I summon a lithium elemental and take cover."
Great chapter
8228137 OMG that would be hilarious to pull off in d&d games just nuke em without the danger
8228128
You're a terrible author.
Nah. Just kidding.
But seriously, you took something people loved and made it both an interesting YET essential part of the plot.
Takes real skill.
No, silly. That's Hackmaster 4th Edition.
Actual monster. Actual game.
Well, I guess fitting in will be a breeze for him.
8228146
Nah, lithium doesn't react explosively with water; it reacts too slowly. Try any other alkali metal and it'd work.
Good to see some more Dungeon Crawling Fools.
Was Discord here?