Scootaloo frowned as she stared at what she had laid out before her. If anyone asked her, she would say that she hated puzzles and riddles, but that wasn't entirely true. She loved finding puzzles and riddles that needed solving, and she loved solving them. What she hated was situations like what she encountered now, where she had just enough information to start solving a riddle, but not enough to actually find a solution.
Jade, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom were helping Uncle unravel the nature of the Horse Talisman's power through research. That is to say, Sweetie Belle was helping research, Apple Bloom was collating the information, and Jade - who couldn't read the older of the texts they were researching from - was making sure everyone ate and drank something so they could maintain their focus. Scootaloo, however, was approaching the same thing, but from a different direction.
Uncle had once said that whoever acquired all 12 Talismans would achieve untold power. Ever since the Horse Talisman's description had been so vague, that detail had been bothering her. She had set up her research on the shop desk, so she could man the shop while she worked. Laid out in front of her were paper cutouts of each of the eight Talismans they'd encountered, and a list of the powers each Talisman provided, along with the inscriptions the'd managed to transcribe. She wished she had the text from the back of the Dragon Talisman to work from, as she felt it might have given her some clue as to how the Talismans were supposed to be combined.
"Combustion..." she mumbled, setting the Dragon cutout at the top of the circle again. "Invisibility, Super Strength, Super Speed, Levitation...Astral Projection and Animation." She stared at the seven cutouts she'd laid out, then lifted up the Horse cutout. "Where do you fit in all this? I've got more than half the puzzle. I should be able to see enough of it to start logicking out the other pieces. How does it all come together?" After a time, she slammed the cutout down angrily and turned back to the descriptions, grumbling to herself. "I hope Jackie gets back with the new Talisman soon. Maybe that'll give me more to work with." Hearing the shop bell ring, she looked up eagerly. "Speak of the devil!" she called out happily. "Uncle Jackie! You're ba..." Her voice died on her lips as she raced forward, coming to a halt as she spotted his right ring finger...grey, hard, and lifeless. "UNCLE!" she screamed out in terror.
Everyone from the back room came racing out at Scootaloo's scream. Uncle took one look at Jackie's hand and screamed, "AIYAH!"
Jackie laid out the story swiftly for everyone, having insisted that no one interrupt since time was of the essence. "I have until six AM," he explained. "Valmont's men will be waiting at the Coit Tower with the antidote."
"W...what are we going to do?" Apple Bloom whimpered, reaching out towards Jackie's hand.
"Wait!" Jade gasped out, grasping Apple Bloom's hoof. "If anything in the poison is plant based, your out of control magic might accelerate it!" Apple Bloom let out a horrified whimper at the very thought, sinking in on her self as Audrey wrapped himself around her.
"Good thinking Jade," Uncle complimented. "As for what we do...riddle of the Horse Talisman can wait. I will make an antidote! Sweetie Belle, you will assist me! Apple Bloom, fetch any magical plants you have grown that are harvest ready!"
As Uncle led Jackie, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom back into the back room, Scootaloo went back to her work, pushing the cutouts around, having trouble focusing now. Jade, meanwhile, paced angrily back and forth. Both of them groaned every time they heard a strange noise or an agonized choke from the back room...or Uncle or Sweetie Belle cursing.
Finally, after the sound of something bursting into flame, Jade threw up her hands in frustration. "I can't take it anymore!" she screamed out angrily. Turning, she started gathering various items.
"What do you think you're doing?" Scootaloo demanded irritably.
"The Dark Hand will make a trade of the five Talismans in Section 13 for the antidote," Jade explained, determination filling her voice. "I'm going to go make that trade."
"You're just going to walk in and swipe them?" Scootaloo offered sarcastically.
"I have to do something!" Jade snapped out. "I'll figure something out."
"And what about those security systems?" Scootaloo countered angrily. "Think about what it'll do to Jackie, to the rest of us, if you get killed doing this! You don't have save points in the real world, Jade! This isn't a game!" Scootaloo's eyes widened as she suddenly realized something.
Jade stared at her friend. "Scoot...?"
"A game...that's it!" She turned back to the cutouts. "I was looking at it all wrong!" She grabbed the Ox cutout. "Bull's Strength!" She grabbed the Snake cutout. "Greater Invisibility!" She continued through each of them, giving them names from tabletop gaming. "Haste! Fireball! Spirit Walk! Create Golem! They're not super powers, they're spells!"
"How does that help us-" Jade began.
"If activated, the Noble Horse expels all alien forces from within," Scootaloo interrupted, rounding on Jade as she quoted the Horse Talisman description. "You've played more video games than me. Off the top of your head, what spell does that sound like flavor text for?"
"Esuna," Jade responded immediately. "But I don't see-"
"And what does Esuna do?" Scootaloo pressed.
Jade rolled her eyes. "It's the cure-all for status effects," she grumbled. "Like paralysis, sleep, poison...and..." Her eyes widened. "And stone!" Grabbing the Horse Talisman off the table, she raced into the back room. As she got there, Jackie's body was going into another paroxysm as the poison started to turn another part of his body to stone. Rushing forward, Jade slammed the Talisman into Jackie's right hand as his middle finger started to change. The stone ran up from the tip of his finger towards his palm...until the transformation brushed the Talisman. The Horse flared with light.
When the light faded, Jackie had returned to normal, no sign of stone transformation. "I...wha?" he gasped out in surprise.
"Aiyah!" Uncle cried out in amazement. "Horse Talisman is the healer! Jade, how did you know?"
"Don't thank me," Jade responded modestly as Apple Bloom leapt into Jackie's arms, burrowing into his embrace. "Thank Scootaloo. She's the one who logicked out what it had to be, once she looked at each of the Talismans as a spell."
"You're the one who put it together that the Horse description meant a healing power," Scootaloo added as she came in. "And figured out how to use Jackie's transformation to activate it."
"You both did excellent job," Uncle praised, rubbing both their heads affectionately. "I was right to have you two work together."
"So...what about the Dark Hand agents?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously. "Won't they still be waiting at Coit Tower for the Talismans?"
Jackie grinned softly. "Yes, they will. I think you know how to handle that, Sweetie."
Giggling, Sweetie Belle opened up her phone and went down her speed dial list.
Why, by the end of all of this do I see Shendu working with\for the J Team specifically the CMC?
Heal
Greater Polymorph
Heat Beam Eye Blast
Dog
Oh cool, you can use that Talisman if you're a little horse...I mean, hoarse.
I'M NOT SORRY
7650626 I think that last one is supposed to be "Revive" in spell terminology.
Methinks Valmont is about to have a bad day.
7650623 Because you've read PWNY fics before.
I guess Scootaloo spelled it out for them.
So, Tohru doesn't get his cold taken care of?
Sweetie Belle just loves using her phone, doesn't she?
7650626 Actually, Create Golem is correct, since it makes whatever inanimate object it touches into a golem. Remember Cthulhu? At the time of its creation and defeat, it was a golem that was gaining sapience.
7650642 There IS that but I was going more off of the part that right now he's causing problems for the CMC, so it's only a matter of time before they actively start causing problems for him
7650638
Nah, that would imply that tossing the Dog to an undead would make it keel over.
There's actually good reason any balanced games' spell lists don't include a "F you, I'm immortal!" spell. At least, not one that the players can access.
Video game logic saves the day again!
thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/eureka-sticker-word-light-bulb-white-background-34625432.jpg
I am not surprised they figured it out so quickly, but I am no less pleased. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
7650623
7650642
Because you understand that one of Shendu's greatest traits is that he is a survivor. This being a PWNY fic is irrelevant to the fact.
I loved it, using video game logic to fit the pieces and solving the riddle
7650623
I hope not. I hope he meets his end as he did in the show. He does suffer from chronic backstabbing disorder, just look at not telling.
And who says videogames can't help you in the real world.
I hadn't seen the relevant episodes NOR do I play Final Fantasy (I say as I'm playing KH2), but just thinking from a science perspective that was still obviously the effect!
7650626 heat beam would be D&D scorching ray
So...
Ox=Bulls strength
Snake=Greater Invisibility
Rooster=Fly/Levitation
Monkey=Greater Polymorph?
Rabbit=Haste
Horse=Heal
Dragon=Fireball
Sheep=Spirit Walk
Rat=Create Golem
Pig=Scorching Ray?
Dog=Contingency with Breath of Life?
Tiger=?
Least Jackie didn't end it on a solid note.
Luckily Scoots and Jade spelled it out for everyone in the end.
Wonder who Sweetie's gonna call? Ghostbusters.
7650802
Don't think D&D quite has a spell similar enough to what the tiger talisman does.
And the Horse says NEIGH to petrification!
What would Tiger's spell equivalent be?
7650670
Not true. Invulnerability spells are easy to balance. Just slap a timer and a high MP cost on it. Same with Auto-Revive. No stacking, forcing the player to recast after every "death". I know a few bosses that need these spells to survive their "Fk you, I'm taking you with me" final attack.
7650741
Very true. That said, I feel that one of his sibs might do a Heel Face turn.
img13.deviantart.net/5948/i/2015/094/5/1/rainbow_dash_and_hsi_wu_5_by_avispaneitor-d8ogqx3.jpg
...granted, not very likely, but he's the only one I see with a shot at it.
7650887 Yu Yevon comes to mind, From Final Fantasy X. Even the makers of the game realized they made a Beast of a Final Boss and gave you Auto-Revive right off the bat.
7650802
Monkey= Alter Self(that was the intended use for the Noble Monkey that 'should' of had it)
Dog= Globe of Invulnerability(closest I could find to Immortality)
Pig= Fiery Eyes
Tiger= Body Outside Body
Here's the site with the Spell List
Wait, what?
Whoa...I never thought of it like that...
7650632 Sans is better
I knew this was gonna happen, but that doesn't mean I'm bitter with the results. I love these kinds of moments
So, Sweetie Belle's gonna contact Viper to make counterfeit talismans?
So... Scootaloo is a gamer? I didn't know Uncle Chan has any kind of 'modern' game in his store.
7651581 Actually, they know where all of the henchmen will be, so why not
I see a Final Fantasy reference here
Chapter Fifty Five
"Aiyah!"
\
\\
Chapter Count: 2
Total Count: 34
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 62
7651638
Dungeons and Dragons maybe
7651638
7652189
Uncle felt it was a good spell casting primer.
7652310
What're we talkin' here? AD&D, Pathfinder, Fifth Edition, what?
Part of me wants to see her show up and give the Enforcers the sad puppy dog eyes just to see how hard it would be for Tohru and Ratso to resist giving her the antidote. The other part wants to see El Toro Fuerte and Viper show up to help Jackie kick Enforcer butt.
7652488
Non-specific.
when will the next chapter be ?
7653602
It updates every Monday and Thursday.
Thank you for making scootaloo more than just a bit character
7650623
SHENDU: I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!
Uncle: Yes. Yes. Do you want tea or not?
SHENDU: I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL! After tea. Do you have Oolong?
Sweetie Belle: I have eEarl Grey!
SHENDU: BLASPHEMY! OOLONG IS THE ONLY THING WORTH DRINKING!
7655895 I can see that playing out
D--> Of course my STRENGTH could counter any attempts at magi%.
Dammit, Equius!
7652527 We need Specifics... 1E <> 5E
7656602
Non-specific because I don't know that much about D&D.
7656618 Sounds like Final Fantasy... but I am no expert.
7656114 Y34H I R34LLY DOUBT TH4T.
HONK honk HONK :o)
SHUT UP G4MZ33.