Given the danger of the local magic to me - especially with how torn up the environment was - I was under firm instructions to stay in the hideout until we found the Guru. Given the first time I placed my hoof on bare dirt outside I felt such a strong surge of rage and pain from the land I nearly blacked out, I was more than happy to listen.
Thankfully, that was Dad's priority, with Uncle Murray guiding him around to the various locations where the Guru might be. Dad managed to find him in an area of the miner's camp set up as a makeshift stockade. The conversation there had been...interesting, from what Dad said...
As Sly dropped down in front of the fenced off area, he saw the short purple koala come running up to him. Between the red headcloth, the facial markings, the beads in his beard, and the brown loincloth, Sly immediately recognized him as the Guru Murray had described. "You must be the Guru," Sly greeted warmly. "I'm a good friend of Murray's. He's come asking to be released from his training."
The Guru responded in a rapid-fire rendition of his own native dialect...and yet the meaning somehow inserted itself directly into Sly's mind, though not in words. He got the sense that the Guru couldn't make a decision regarding Murray's training without a face-to-face meeting.
"Sure," Sly agreed. "I'll just bust you out of here, and we'll go talk to him-"
The Guru interrupted. This time, the message carried the images of a staff and a moonstone, along with a refusal to move without them.
"You...seriously won't leave without your gear?" Sly asked in shock.
The message that came back caught Sly off guard. It carried with it the sense of the damage and corruption of the land, the danger it possessed, and the need to purify it. The last images were of the Guru using his staff and moonstone to walk a clean path through a lake of poison across the land, Coco walking safely behind him.
"You...you already know about Coco?" Sly gasped out, surprised.
The Guru waved his hand dismissively at that, the message that came through with his rapid-fire words suggesting that such a feat was the equivalent for the Guru as drinking water. He followed up with an image of protections he could cast to let Coco endure the corruption of the Earth to which she was bound.
Sly nodded. "Right. I'll get you that staff and moonstone, and be right back."
The Guru expressed a lack of a need to hurry, as another day or two would not make that much of a difference in the level of corruption, though an insistence that the area be cleared of miners, as he would be unable to use his powers so long as the Spirits of Dreamtime were enraged by the continued desecration.
"Still going to hurry," Sly pointed out. "Coco doesn't like sitting still." With that, he turned and headed back to the hideout.
The Guru sent one last message, insisting on meeting with Murray and Bentley individually before he decided if he would aid the group. Along with this message was a warning, an image of a mask filled with evil. The Mask of Dark Earth.
It's pretty amazing just how much information the Guru can pass so quickly. This Dreamtime stuff sure sounds potent. After hearing about it, I definitely was looking forward to learning from him if he'd consent to teach me.
Unfortunately, this still left me stuck in the hideout until the mission was all but concluded. Dad had to go fetch the Moonstone and walking stick, though I did get a chance to feel the power in them once he'd retrieved them. It was quite potent, and got me all the more eager to meet the Guru.
Uncle Murray and Uncle Bentley both went to meet with the Guru, but they refused to talk about their actual conversations with him. I get the feeling that the discussions were intensely private, especially considering how thoughtful they both were when they returned. They also took care of quite a few things in the meantime, towards helping the Guru purify the land.
...I'm really disappointed I didn't get to ride around in the giant super-truck. Uncle Murray made it sound so much fun... Then again, I'm kinda glad I didn't see the scorpions. I still have nightmares about my brief glimpses of Seft...
Thankfully, Uncle Bentley's meeting with the Guru was the end of that, and the Guru was happy to escape then and come meet with me...after taking out a few drills and mining machines to appease the Dreamtime Spirits on the way back...
Coco had been prepared to stare up at the Guru in awe. Much to her surprise, however, he wasn't that much taller than her at this point, and she could get to eye level with him when he was hunched over by raising up on her hind legs. Still, she could feel the aura of magic around him, and knew to show the proper respect. "Mr. Guru, sir-"
He interrupted by laying one hand on her head. Guru will suffice, young mystic, he offered, his voice sounding clearly in her mind. I neither require nor desire appellation beyond that.
Coco nodded slowly. Focusing her thought, she attempted to communicate back the same way. CocO. pLeaSE meet... She quickly stopped herself.
It is impressive you are able to send your thought even that clearly through the Dreamtime without training, Guru responded, a wide smile on his face. Even more so that you are so receptive. Patience young mystic. I will work enchantments upon you to protect you from the rage of the Earth, and when the land is calmed and purified I will teach you what you can learn. My other student spoke of you often during his training, and now I see why. You are truly as gifted as he suggested. When your training is done, you need not fear the primal magic of this land.
Coco's grin split her face. Thank...you... she managed to send clearly, which only made Guru's grin widen even further.
Great, now I'm having fun imagining Coco doing the Guru speak... That ought to be a fun way for her to mess with people she isn't directly interacting with.
Come to think of it, if it's thought sending, that would be a fantastic way to communicate one way without others being able to tell what the hell you're saying. That could come in handy later, unless people not attuned to it can still get the gist of it even if it isn't directed towards them.
Somehow I just know Zecora was the Guru's student.
Oh god, I just realized you're turning Coco into another Twilight. Absorbs every scrap of magic she can, and turns into a relative badass when pissed.
nice work.
...I'm now imagining Coco giggling happily whilst in a monster truck, trying to run down many tiny Sefts.
8091009 sounds bout right
8091000 I could see it.
I'm sure the Guru put plenty of thought into his interactions with the gang.
Even the Guru couldn't mask the importance of his warning.
The Guru really wanted to drill the point home in not to mess with the land.
Coco and Guru. I can dig it. ... NOT LIKE THAT YOU PERVS! Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
8091000 Or was the Guru, Zacora's student.
I knew it Coco will get power-up in the Outback. Next she will learn how to make the Native's clothes.
Some people might note that apparently, an earth pony is good at Earth magic. And here you'd think it was unicorns or something.
The adorbs are strong with this chapter
I keep imagining Super Kami Guru's voice from DBZA with this guru.
It looks like Luna may gain another dream walker upon Coco's return to Equestria.
8091337 lol too true
Can't wait for Coco to learn how to ride on people's backs and mind control them.
Also a telepathy web would be fairly useful for the gang, even if they already have comms. Though I would laugh if she tried to set up a telepathy web including Scrooge's three ducklings, only to find that they already have a minor telepathy web somehow.
And if she could read minds as easily as drinking water... Well, at least then Sly and Carmelita could stop even pretending to hide their activities. And Seft will probably end up with some Magneto-esque helmet before all this is over. I would also imagine if she ever tried to use this power on Twi from Sparkle in his Eye, all she would get was a headache and a bunch of incredibly rapid images and words. Immunity to mind reading via sheer intellect seems like an ability that Twi would possess.
8091337 remind me please... dreamwalkers on the PWNY verse are
1. Luna
2. Vaermina
3. Coco
4. Profit?
8092025
chatoyance
8092021
Because he was frozen solid for *go look it up, I was too lazy* years and he thawed out in modern times, I assume only a few years before the events in the game.
Hahahaha, oooh this is gonna be good!~
Good show!
More out of curiosity then anything, why choose Coco for this story?
I can't wait to see Coco learn Dream Time. I can also see her adding a moonstone to her staff or some other charms to personalize it like so many Coopers before her.
8092377
Taking driving lessons between now and when we last saw him? After all, he needed to learn how to maintain the van as he promised.
8093258
Good point. I conced.
8092432 why not coco?
8093688
Just curious why he chose her.
NOT saying bad pick just wondering the thought process behind it.
8093870
Process of elimination.
By the time I decided I wanted to do a Sly crossover, there weren't that many ponies left that would fit that I hadn't done a story with.
8089671
So does Apple Jack's flowers she dropped in Twilight's castle have super mega GMOs or is their rapid growth a form of pony magic?
8091000
Same thought
8094069 well i guess you could of said they weren't related with the PWNY Canon but i can understand you wanted to keep it in the canon.
8096373
Exactly.
I was specifically wanting to create a PWNYverse Sly Cooper story.
8096377 ...I just realized how much of a marathon "Star Trek The Next Generation" was!
Celestia is going to be crazy to write!
The guru is pretty cool. Sounds like Coco is in for another power up.
8091045
Or it could be Murray