Blinded by the light Wyatt blinked hard, squeezing tears from the corner of his eyes. Trying to raise a hand to wipe at them, he met resistance and a faint clunking sound, something preventing it from reaching his face.
“What the everlovin’ hell..?”
-----
“What do you mean gone?” Twilight was standing in the doorway, peering around the room suspiciously.
“Calliope reported a bright flash of light, then all communications were lost. We cannot pick up any signal from his commlink. There were three ponies with him, they seemed to have gone wherever he has, or so we assume.” Crusader was eyeing the floor while Athena kept Pinkie from rushing around the room and messing up evidence.
Twilight looked at the floor, not seeing anything, “How can you even tell?”
Athena smiled, “Imprints in the carpet, different depths and sizes tell us three different ponies, and only one person in Equestria walks on two legs with boot soles.” She pointed out the various imprints that were so very obvious to them both in the thick carpet, seeing Twilights’ face screwed up in concentration trying to see them as well.
Athena nudged her, “Don’t hurt yourself.”
This got her a glare, and a giggle from Rainbow and Pinkie.
Crusader’s voice got their attention, “Two books were dropped, they do not appear to have been thrown, nor does there seem to be evidence of a fight.”
Everything in the room was perfect, except for the two comics lying on the floor. Twilight gestured to one, getting a nod and lifting it with a slight push of magic.
“Huh. Never saw this one before.” Her eyes popped wide as she flipped to the back cover page, before squinting and seeing tiny writing there.
“Oh no. Nonono!”
“What?” Now she had both Bolos complete attention.
“This is one of those magic comic books!” She turned it around, showing the writing to them, “You say the spell and get pulled into the comic, you have to defeat the bad pony before you can leave.” She remembered their own adventure, “It shouldn’t take long..if they know what to do.”
“That,” Crusader deadpanned, “Is going to be a problem.”
“Why?” Twilight was puzzled, “It’s just an adventure, though it can get a little tough. Wyatts’ a soldier, he’ll be able ..to..” She watched their expressions getting grimmer, “What?”
“He has no translator, he cannot speak or read Equestrian.”
Lavender ears drooped to either side of the alicorns’ face, “Oh boy.”
-----
Though the chiming of voices came through clearly to his ears, whatever was covering his face was giving him fits.
Wyatt clanged a hand against it, seeing through a transparent band along his eyes the armor surrounding his hand.
“What the..okay..this is stupid.” He slapped the facemask once more and it popped open, giving him a cool breath of fresh air that he inhaled gratefully.
Tilting his gaze downward, he saw himself covered in what looked like battle armor, but it was different, bulky and feeling...powerful. It appeared to be made of some lightweight material that allowed him to move freely, as evidenced by the clenching of an armored fist in front of his face.
He reached upwards, trying to fit a finger between his head and helmet, tapping the commlink set above his ear and receiving no reply.
“Calliope?” Nothing but dead air greeted his voice, “Calliope? Wyatt to Bolos, come in.. Anyone reading me?” The result was the same, silence.
Crap. Crap and damnation. He was about to figure how to get this whole contraption off when raised voices caught his ear again. He recognized Equestrian when it was spoken, and the voices of ponies were always pleasant to listen to, making his eyes sweep around him in a practiced glance that took in everything.
Sky was standing next to him, covered in a tight black bodysuit, one hoof patting herself down as she looked a bit dazed, seeing various implements of some kind of trade hanging off her or stored in pockets. Bandoleers of odd items hung across her chest as she tried to figure out what was going on. A mask covered her face from forehead to nose tip, a pair of goggles were above her eyes, waiting to drop in place.
Fleur was off to the side, a costume snugging her contours tightly, looking like tiny scales making up the armor as she looked around with wide eyes at the scenery and herself. Confusion was the theme of the moment it seemed. A mask covered her face as well, both it and the costume reflecting bright colors off it in a shimmering aura.
Tropic was bouncing around like a filly on too much sugar. Her costume was..to say the least..the least of costumes. Her hips were hugged tightly with a pair of shorts that on a good day were barely decent. A break with her midsection showing, then a top that scarcely covered her front. Both glimmering gold in the waning sunlight, reflecting the beams from streetlights as they turned on.
Her face covered with a mask made of golden material that held her fluffy mane hair back so it looked even more piled up. Bracelets and bangles dangled along her legs, sparking and spitting with some sort of barely restrained force.
Wyatt ignored it for a moment, turning to check out where they were and seeing a cityscape that hadn’t been there before. Buildings towered into the skyline, not the brutal human type architecture of faceless front and stone, but like those of Canterlot, only a lot bigger. Streetlights turning on in the waning daylight showed them standing on the rooftop of a building that overlooked what appeared to be a crime scene. Uniformed ponies swarmed over it, looking for clues of questioning witnesses.
How the hell did we get here?
He remembered a flash of light, a nauseating sensation in the pit of his stomach and then...this.
Ugh. As if everything up to now wasn’t bad enough, he had to end up looking like a refugee from the looney bin.
Though he had to admit, as he clenched a fist in front of his face, feeling the power contained in it, it really was kinda cool.
---
“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! We’re in the comic book!” Tropic was prancing in pure delight, her face had a smile that wouldn’t quit, “I’m Goldbeam! Look at me!” She posed hipshot with the scanty costume, looking like a bombshell.
Fleur was almost chuckling, “I can’t even see how that costume stays on.” She did admit, Tropic looked pretty good.
“It must have been one of those comics that put you in the adventure, I heard rumors about them, but I didn’t think they were true..or do..” She swept a hoof out, encompassing the scene, “Do all this!”
“Where are we?” Sky was trying to shake herself down, getting the belts and bandoliers to lay correctly across her body, “What’s going on?”
Tropic bounced over to her, “We’re in the comic book adventure, The Ulti-Mares! Isn’t this awesome?!”
Sky was looking nervous, “I...guess so?”
A golden leg wrapped itself around Sky’s shoulder, “Were superheroes! We fight crime and kick the bad ponies Cutie Marks right off them!”
“Tropic, settle down.” Fleur was looking at Wyatt who was taking in the scene below, he turned toward them and pointed downward, saying something totally unfamiliar to them. His language was very different from Equestrian, they only caught parts of words.
Fleur blinked, “What?”
He pointed again, saying something else.
“Oh, no.” Sky gasped, “He can’t understand us, they were using a translation ..thing.. for him.”
“Oh..that’s going to be a problem.” Tropic was looking thoughtful, “Don’t we have any spells between us to translate?”
Sky shrugged, looking at Fleur who did the same, returning the glance at Tropic who shook her head.
“How do we get out of here?” Sky was peering over the parapet of the roof, seeing the swarming officials below.
“I..I have no idea.” Fleur was stepping quietly beside her, “I just heard rumors of these books, no details.”
Sky pursed her lips, “So, who are we again?”
“Oh!” Tropic bounced over, “We’re The Ulti-Mares! Super-ponies who fight crime!” She pointed at Fleur, “She’s Prism, Mistress of Light and Magic! Her armor is made out of pure light too!” Tropic pointed a gleaming hoof at herself, “I’m Goldbeam, I use powers stored in golden things that I create to outfight the bad ponies!” She pointed at Sky, “You’re Silver Gleam, super spy mare.”
“But..if we’re supposed to be ponies.. What about Wyatt?”
The human, hearing his name, turned to look at them, listening to the conversation, trying to understand.
“I..I don’t know. But he’s Anvil. Supposedly an Earth Pony who had no powers, so created a suit to give her the ability to fight crime. Super strength and almost invulnerable too!”
“Almost?”
Tropic shrugged, “Well, can’t be all-powerful can you? Wouldn’t be dramatic!”
Fleur tapped a hoof on the low brick wall surrounding the roof where they stood, “We need to find a way out. We have no idea what we’re supposed to do, or how to do it.” She saw Sky taking a few things out of her pouches, trying to figure them out, “We shouldn’t mess with things.”
Tropics’ jaw dropped, “You didn’t read the story?”
Fleur looked sheepish, “I didn’t have time..I.. Just got them and wanted to surprise you first so we could read it together.”
“Awwwww!” Tropic zoomed over to the armored mare, hugging her tight, “Best friends forever!”
Wyatt interrupted the friend-fest by pointing down again, “Look.” The only word he was able to articulate, though he botched the Equestrian inflection, they understood. Crowding over to the edge of the roof, they looked down on the crime scene.
“Wow, something bad happened there.” Sky was squinting when her goggles dropped down, making her squeak then realized her vision was very enhanced, giving her a really close view of the area.
“What.oh! I can see so much!” She frowned, “Looks like something busted through the wall of the bank. There’s sure a lot of damage.”
“Really?” Fleur leaned over, taking a closer look. Uniformed ponies were still everywhere.
“Wait..” Tropic was leaning over the edge, looking at the building across the street, “Ohmygosh! We’re in Maretropolis! Maybe we’ll meet the Power Ponies!” She squee’d and clapped her hooves, setting all the bangles and bracelets rattling.
Fleur and Sky turned slowly to give her deadpan looks, even Wyatt was staring.
“Really? We’re trapped in a comic book, with not a clue how to get out and you want to meet more super-powered ponies. Seriously?”
Tropic sat back and tapped the tips of her fore hooves together, a sheepish look on her burnished gold face, “Well...kinda?”
“Ugh, I cannot believe you!” Fleur was rolling her pale eyes. “Look, we’ve got to figure out a way home, maybe we have to do something, or..or rescue somepony?”
Sky was leaning over the edge looking downward, “Maybe we ought to start with all that?” Pointing to the busted building.
Tropic nodded, “It’s a good a place as any.” She shook a leg with loops and swirls of golden trinkets, “I can levitate!”
Fleur agreed, “Okay, I can as well, right?” Looking to Tropic who knew the characters as she nodded in return, “What about Sky and Wyatt?”
“Oh! Well, Gleam usually hitches a ride with one of us..I mean Prism and Gold, or she can swoop down like the super-spy she is, and Wyatt can jump!”
Sky blinked, “Jump? From up here?”
“Oh yeah! He’s got super-strength and stuff. He’ll be fine!” She waved a hoof airily, the bangles chiming gently.
Sky was peeking in the pockets and pouches, trying to find something to let her down the side of the building when she was picked up by Fleurs aura, “I got this.” The slim mare giving her a smile as they both floated off the roof , waiting for Tropic to activate her spell.
Tropic concentrated on on bangle, seeing it spark, then shimmer with power, the aura surrounding her and lifting her off the roof as well leaving Wyatt standing alone.
Sky made a motion with her hoof, “Jump! you’ll be fine!” She pointed to the street, then at Wyatt with an arcing movement.
Wyatt stared at her as if she’d grown a second head. or at least gone slightly insane.
---
Wyatt had absolutely no clue what they were talking about, catching words here and there, almost understanding the conversation. He contented himself with watching the action down below, pointing it out once and seeing the others look too.
Now they wanted to go down there it seemed, he saw magic bring them all in the air and then they turned to him.
Sky was motioning with her hoof in an arc, from the roof to the street. Pointing at Wyatt, then over the parapet, then the street.
Surely she wasn’t..yes..yes she was suggesting he jump off the roof.
---
Fleur’s voice was loud in the quiet of the rooftop, “Wait a second, I’m Mistress of Light AND Magic right?”
Tropic nodded along with Sky who agreed because Tropic did.
“Let me try...”
The slim, pretty mask covered muzzle lifted slightly, the aura around her horn brightened to a blinding actinic light. Power flowed through the slim body, her armor glowing with a multi-colored spectrum of colors that were pure, simple and glorious.
Her spell reached out, picking up the bulk of Wyatt and his armor like it was a feather. Lifting him easily off the roof, holding him tight in her magic.
She smiled, turning to see Tropic and Sky’s jaws almost hitting the floor, looking at their friend who shone almost like the sun itself, her armor appearing to be a bulwark upon which enemy magic would break and scatter to the winds. Her eyes glowed with a sheen of flickering opalescent colors that made her look magnificent in the evening moonlight.
“Let’s go!”
Tropic and Sky shook their heads, the golden mare whooping out loud and leaping for the edge, her own spell taking her gently towards the ground.
Fleur lifted Sky and Wyatt alongside her, floating with just the merest push of her powers to the edge, dropping down to land to softly on the street next to Tropic who was grinning from ear to ear.
“That was awesome!!!”
Fleur let the spell drop, blushing under her mask as Tropic, then Sky, gushed about how she’d looked.
“Stop that, it’s..it’s just a comic book story.”
Her golden friend bumped her with a scantily-clad hip, “If ya got it, flaunt it mare.”
“Oh shush.”
A uniformed stallion ran up to the group, out of breath so took a moment to catch it and speak normally.
“Ulti-Mares! Thank goodness and all that goes with it you’re here!” He eyed Wyatt standing there like a solid steel wall, before returning to looking at the group as a whole.
“Some unknown pony busted into the bank and cleaned it out! All the safe boxes, even the vault!” He pointed behind him to the hole in the wall, “The Power Ponies are busy with Mane-iac and her antics, and we could really use your help!”
Sky nudged Tropic, “Great, we’re the second string.” She giggled as Tropic just smiled, happy to be there at all.
The guard continued without a break, “I know you’re used to dealing with world spanning problems like that thing that almost destroyed all of Coltham last week. This is a little beneath you I’m sure, traveling the world to prevent disasters, but I’m glad you answered our call!”
Fleur raised one brow, having heard Sky’s comment and giving her a wink. The model mare knew only the bare outlines of the story, some big threat the Ulti-Mares were called in to deal with it.
“Oh, well, Chief,” Taking a chance he WAS the chief of guards, “It’s always our pleasure to help.” Her voice was warm, a sensuous smile never leaving the masked face as she fell into character like one of her movies. She had decided to play this for all it was worth, since they had to find a way out.
The big officer hemmed and hawed, feeling a bit hot under the collar as he looked at Prism, one of the most picturesque and lovely mares in super-ponydom.
“Yes, well, I..uhm..” He actually scuffed a hoof like a young colt on his first date, then brightened as an idea occurred, “Maybe you should check the scene of the crime? We’ll stay out of your way until you’re done, of course.”
“It would be our pleasure, Chief.” Her voice was low and throaty, playing her part and having a wonderful time. The group walked past the watching officers who were slightly averting their eyes when Tropic bounced on by flirtatiously waving to them,
Or course after she had passed, those same eyes watched the swaying shorts-clad backside, tail swishing happily as it walked away.
Sky got professional nods, from one pro to another, knowing her to be the super-spy and mare of action beyond even the unknown agencies. She was on a whole other level with her gear, gadgets and ability to out hoof-fight anything that got close.
Wyatt, however....
He hadn’t followed the conversation very well.. To tell the truth, not at all. But it seemed they were going in to check out what happened, so figured he would just follow along.
The first step he took was a thudding power-filled step that shook the nearby ponies almost off their hooves. The magic spells layered into the suit gave it a force multiplication of many times the wearers strength. Walking normally, even as Wyatt did, a heavy step would crack the concrete.
He stopped, looking around at the surprised guards, giving them a shrug and almost tip-toed into the building alongside the rest of the group. Sky was giggling up a storm, seeing the imprint of his boot left in the sidewalk and admonishing him for destroying city property. He didn’t understand, but got the gist of the joke, seeing everyone shaking their heads ruefully.
Flexing his hand, he realized he was in some sort of powered armor. Having used it before, he adjusted his motions to make them smaller, lighter, and less quick, to account for however it gave feedback to the power systems, or whatever made it move.
“Special Forces..eat your heart out..” He grinned and stepped through the hole in the bank wall, knocking bricks loose with a movement of his shoulder, which just rebounded off the suit leaving nary a mark but some fine dust.
An officer outside, sidled up to the chief who was still remembering talking to the world famous Prism.
“Chief, those ponies are scary.” He was young, looking with wide eyes at the forms disappearing into the bank.
“Only to the bad ponies, Law Book, only to the bad ponies.” He watched Wyatt knock a huge chunk out of the thick wall, ignoring it as it shattered against his armor and kept walking, “But I really wouldn’t want to be a bad pony right now.”
To be continued....
Can Wyatt keep the armor??? I want to see him punch a dragon in the face!!!! And if Fleur can suddenly do so much magic, can she clue in and cast a translation spell????
8964493 No he can't keep the armor, and probably on the spell :P
8964215
"Enjoyed them enough-
STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM! I did not enjoy them, I sat here spellbound reading a daring tale of an eternal crusader and a Greek goddess laying waste to the enemies of pony-kind. I did not simply enjoy it (you do not simply...), I adored it and your oh so lovely writing! NOW GO SIT AND THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH YOUR STORY IS LOVED!
Damnable imperials...
8964501
You didn't say no to punching a dragon in the face... can that happen in comic world????
Only one chapter and under 4k words? Who are you and what have done with NFire?
8964607
Either he’s trying to do more updates, or he’s been replaced by a changeling. Either way, it’s an update so let’s go all Steven King’s ‘Mercy,’ and break his legs and chain him to a typewriter.
*pokes with a stick*
Come on, why you no do the thing? Do the writey thingie. It puts the words on the paper....
Sounds like one of them uses gadgets, she could make a translator for him
8964544 Okay, got it. Loved, am thinking, I promise :) (Glad ya like it that much :))
8964595 I'm sure it can! Wait till you see the antagonist, you're going to laugh yourself silly :)
8964607 I was halfway through with it and finished it sooner and figured I'd just post:) Not waiting anymore, gonna get the story to ya!:) It's me, promise :P
8964640 Stop that ya git :P I'm writing the next chapter already, give me a little time now :)
8964644 Gadgets to catch bad guys, not listen to them monologue :P
8964657 Yep, think of all the rare earths and such :)
8964686
*WolfishLOL* I meant for Wyatt to use!
8964720 Oh yes, I caught that. But she's more tending towards, get the bad guy type gadgets. Maybe something at the Super-Ultra-Secret Ulti-Mare Lair? :)
8964686
I know, but it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t give you a rough time.
8964738 Good question, really good question. Yep, good question that was, totally great question...:)
8964749Yeesh, I give a huge update and now yer just giving me crud..smart aleck :P
I can just see it now, the first time they run into the badguy(s), Wyatt will end up breaking them all in half before anyone can blink. Hehehehe.
8964777
...You sonofa----, you're either trolling or have something like that in mind, don't you!?
nvm. now i have caught up.
Nice though though till now I did not realize ponies did not speak English
8964829 Yeah, he's impulsive that way :)
8964966 He asked about the bunker, I answered :) As to Calliope, we'll wait and see.:)
8965015 Sorry bout that? :)
8965045 Thank you so much and glad you liked it :) You can do anything you wish, just takes practice, and in my case a lot of help from thesaurus online :)
8965092 I think you've hit it. All the might and power of the Concordiat..and only they were left to tell the tale. That, to my mind, is horror. Not just the gore, but knowing that of everything you had, there was nothing you could do.
8965180 Silly person :P
8965202 I will post as fast as I can to bring that to you. Its not forgotten, just a story and then we continue:) Maybe a side story as well. Gotta write and write!:)
8964777
cdn.funnyisms.com/c7895688-a49e-4423-9146-014cf7be6103.jpg
Btw, you know where I'm at if you need any evil concepts for the story.
>Sees stealth update
FIMFICTION!!!!
Waaaiiiit a second! Where is Discord?! He can do a thing to fix stuff!
8965331 I know, but it only seems right after being away for so long. I figure folks could just take their time, but I forget about readers liking to binge :)
8965333 Let's hope not :)
8965341 And all the silliness that comes with it :P
8965348 Yes, yes I do :)
8965369 That would be a little obvious wouldn't it? :)
8965370 I would think so too :)
8965439 Always said that stuff was bad for us..now see!:P
8965481 Always save something I'd think :) Surprises are a good thing.
8965638 Oh I'm sure he's around..somewhere :P
8965663 I honestly wouldn't know where to start on something like that :)
8963700
Found the wonderful update of 28 chapters at 12:30am and told my self just this one chapter, oh wow ok one more chapter....
I didn't go to sleep until 4am and I lost track of how many chapters I read after chapter 6.
8964640
Oh, sure, blame everything on changelings...
WHEN DID THIS GET TWENTY FOUR CHAPTERS?!
Most Common Superpower strikes again.
threat
Having read the whole of this masterpiece and caught up to this point... I am filled with a deep contentment. This is one of the best series on this entire site. A story of humanity, our children, and our inheritors... the wonderful ponies.
And it all started with the ground shaking and panels being uncovered to the sun.
I really am looking forward to what comes next, and will be tracking and reading every chapter as it emerges. This has been a joy to read and binge. Thank you, NFire. Thank you very much!
Im wondering, if Calliope, should I name The Shed, Harmonica?, or given the wheels and CaOS, Merry Go Round?
And if Wyatt really gets to like Earth Pony Power Armor.
Im sure Something might be arranged.
After all, there must be far more dangerous long distance transport routes than Big Mac takes, though Ponyville to Our Town looks transcontinental, even if they now have rail?
Then again, if it took Cuti Mark assisted experts a few days to convert The Museum, how complex would that make The Shed if it took an estimated Five years at 8 hours a day? Just for the build, Then theres the years of research of the tech etc required?
then again, been a bit low on sleep, and read this in the gaps between traveleing and computing and gaming over the weekend, so rambling.
Being round Antimatte makes me think of reverse time flow particles, where future effects, reinfection are back propagation of probability functions so their future can be the initial infection.
Why cant Athena have some new Puppies? Needs more resources, especially time? Has an Enchanted Comic been used by multiple parties at the same time?
8964501
It shouldn't be too surprising Wyatt is taking this all in stride, aren't the neural networking sets capable of doing the same xtreme-VR like this Comic Book spell? The biggest problem I see with a rescue attempt from the outside is that you planted two comic books. For all we know, Twilight might be wasting her time trying to cancel the wrong comic book-- you'd think after the first time this happened, Twilight would have pushed for regulations on these things to have a failsafe or limiter to prevent ponies from being trapped in the spell forever.
The chills I got when I guessed at what the AI's would do if the whole comic book episode came into play.
Definitely in deep for this one. Especially since he has no backup or recon or any sort of support besides the mares he's with and their combined powers.
I can only imagine the what the two Bolo's are going through in their processes right now. Twilight's got some 'splaining to do.
8965716 All offscreen of course :)
8965740 Nice )
8965787 Thats how it all starts..just one more. I can stop anytime, you bet. Be careful :P
8965837 Bolos and the idea of them, of course, science fiction itself is all rather silly. Nothing but speculation which most times never comes true or is so outrageous it can't. But it's all about escapism, a well-told tale, a story to delight and shock and horrify maybe. Its about the journey, not whats involved in the minutiae. Its reading a tale and then thinking, wow, that was neat. Thats what its all about, silliness or no :)
8966205 Its a good question, and honestly, I have no answer. I write the way I feel it should go, and actually never thought of that.
8966211 =)
8966301 Let's hope nothing like it ever shows up :)
8966340 Just the other day, some lazy fool of a writer posted them all at once :)
8966362 Gotta have at least one with them superpowers :P And fixed , thanks!
8966369 You are very welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed the read and the stories being told :) More to come, always is, and lots more to experience :) Thank you for reading it :)
8966635 No, the thing in the tale is long ago and far away. A memory, but not a good one.
8966762 Not sure about the time theory, but it kills, kills well, and learns how to kill more efficiently. When the corn died, it was a side effect of it learning to kill humans better,
8966946 Not sure about multiple parties in a comic. Its never been said either in canon or out far as I know. Oughta be a law or something :P All a matter of resources. Repairing what you have, or trying to build newer things. A delicate balance.
8967032 Very awesome points. And great ideas, wow, never thought of those. But then, was just telling a 'what happened' tale. Perhaps later they tried, or they just burnt the planet to cinders. I would dread the thought of it getting off planet.
8967040 Well, it was my own twisted mind that made it up. I've not read those I'm afraid, but with all the literature around I'm sure they had a word or two in making it in my mind if I saw it in passing. Very nicely done. And no End Boss with that, just a memory..and some chills....
8967147 Yeahhh...that darn thing....
8967223 They are, very true. Dangit Morphy, quit asking all the good questions! :P As for the wrong comic, good point indeed :) Yes, you would think someone would say something about wild magic comic books :)
8967289 Not a whole lot they can do, unless Twilight comes up with one of those brilliant pieces of insight that usually ends in disaster :P
8967357 I..uh..okay? I'll try? :)
8967368
Did you see my other typo notices?
8967368
It's not the "One more chapter" syndrome that's getting me, it's that story that Wyatt & Co just heard. That's how you get started into Lovecraftian horror. Difference here though, this thing cares about and hates humans, most of the Elder Gods ignored humans or were apathetic.
I assume if Twilight used that species change spell to turn Wyatt into a pony it wouldn't remove his disease?
8966815
The big problem with scaling rules in combat vehicles with future technology, is that once you get above a certain size for a given time, the rules change completely. Mainly because the ratio of power produced to mass needed goes up with size, because the power produced is a function of the volume of the engine, but with the same pressures, either same or even lower stresses, the mass of the engine can increase with area of containment.
If the ICE vehicle buisiness wasnt collapsing, then taking ten million ICE laser sparkplugs lets you make a NIF containment fusion chamber only 10 metre accross. Instead of using steam, you use the equivalent to a Cavity Magnetron, basically unchanged from WW2, to throw the fusion plasma in, and take the microwave energy out at least 95% conversion efficincy. The best thing about Plasma Pulse, is that it can respond from zero to full power in milliseconds or less and switch off as quickly.
In laboratories, its been demonstrated that memories are a function of the physical structure of the brain, by taking one rats hippocampus, the memory part, scanning its physical form, remaking that form in silicon connections, then implanting the fake rebuild in another rat. Which then could find its way round the totally new maze with memory from the prior rat. As far as I can remember. Its been a couple years. Sorry. Also, if the active brain was needed for memories, you would have to relearn everything when you woke up in the morning. Theres been some recent research in measuring DNA methylation and signal processing, patterns, showing generational memories possible, intinctual responses, from mother to child, from mothers interactions.
The bigger the ship, the larger teh power system, energy storage, defenses, weapons numbers and capabilities, the more area for shield generators of higher capacity, greater bandwidth, range, similar for sensor arrays, so the smaller and faster items it can detect and track from further away in larger numbers, so that above a certain size, anything it lets get through doesnt have the ability to get through the hull , never mind the shields, even if its a coherent shaped total conversion charge or extremely high sub light speed rock. then again, by the time a ship gets this big and hard, it can usually just punch straight through planets instead of having to swerve to aviod them. The biggest Mining Ships rip apart Neutron Stars.
TL:DR A small ship can only have a subset of what a big ship can. Above a certain size, the big ship has All the small ships possible subsets. And more.
8967377
I forgot to add that such a thing could trap an alicorn, or two, if you were planning a coup of the realm-- yeah, looking at you Chrysalis.
The episode with the original comic book spell never explained it's range of power or what would happen if the victim met a "bad end" with no end in the comic's world; say Maneiac froze them in hair spray [or similar imprisonment], they became a mindless drone, or somehow convinced the pony to turn evil like her rather than complete the original quest? I'm assuming a fatal end would just cause a Game Over situation, releasing the pony from the spell. And could a pony break out from within the comic world? We never found out if the "world" ends at the city limits with the dreaded invisible wall or some wraparound tesseract shenanigans... or does that end the spell? [Player one has left the game]
This Comic Book spell can get really grimdark fast if you let it. Luckily this is MLP and I'm hoping Sombra didn't make it so the holodeck safeties are actually on and leaving the map will abort the program. Helm, set course for the next chapter. Engage!
Curse you cliffhangers!
Perhaps you should've posted only a few per week. Give yourself a lead in case you need a break; still be able to post something, eh?
8967431 I did, and thank you:)
8967718 Very true and good point. They saw them as nothing more than insects. Which only upped the horror in my mind. And that thing..oh yeah..it learned fast...
8967723 And a +1 internets to you, sir! I saw what ya did there :P
8967811 And you can't see it, feel it, or even know its there until the terror comes for you....
8967889 I would say debatable. But that's my opinion. I'm of the view magic comes with a cost, always. There has to be balance I think.
8967891 Kinda makes ya think so huh? :)
8968104 You're right, it never got into details like that, so I am going to have to take a new look at that, thanks!. You have very thought-provoking comments, and I thank you for them. Dangit.. :P
8968197 Maaaaaaaybe? :)
8968330 I admit, seeing speculations on how to get rid of the 'thing' is great, like yours. I love the ideas, the insights, and that's what made it a good horror I think..you can't stop it, you don't even know what it is, and all the might of the Concordiat was reduced to waiting for an escape..
8968339 I'm writing, I'm writing!:)
8968464 You are right, but after the absence, you and all the wonderful readers deserved something more than a few chapters. Its just me, giving the shop away while I work on building another shop to give away :)
8968497 Glad you enjoyed that little bit :)
8968698 Thank you for the compliment. I tried real hard to get the 'creepy' feel in the story, glad it made it :)
8968987 Yay! :)
8969023
I often think of the movie Zardoz when I think of this planet. I can also imagine the placement of Heinious criminals there for the monster to eat. no death penalty, you just have to live on this particular planet for a year. Here is a bigger question. the tale Crusader told is a million years old. what is happening to said planet today?
8969281
I honestly think all three would end up in a stalemate with the ponies loosing... if there weren't Bolos protecting the ponies. Now, a Metroid Horde on the other hand would probably take all three other contenders.
8969209 Ooooo presents!:)
8969233 I would think so, somewhere in a small 'history' pla que.
8969305 It does make one wonder if the planet still exists..waiting...
8969596 Fiercely! So fiercely it'll be the best hug ever!:P
Yay! Nfire's back! I've been checking back one a week just hoping and your're back!
8969923 I sure am! So very sorry for the absence, but now, things are so much better, Working on a new chapter now, so something (hopefully) should be posted this week or so :)
8969954
Well I think you'll be happy to know your influence is spreading, somebody mentioned the stove incident (with a link to your story) in the comments section of a Harry potter MLP crossover, that's what got me to check today!
8969960 No way! That's awesome! Yay! The stove..oh that was probably the most comments I've ever got was on those two chapters. Silliness abounds! :)
8969962
Now I just have shift gears from Harry Potter back to bolo, shouldn't be too hard, bolo withdrawal caused me to go buy Bolo: Honor of the regiment while you were gone, so I'm still in the mindset!
8969969 Good choice, one of the better books :)