((Okay so forgot just how short this part was, probably should have just rolled it together with the last part.))
Li'lpip and Velvet head back up to collect Steelhooves and meet up with Calamity. Li'lpip thinking about what she learned from the orbs, Redeyes grand scheme finally making sense to her, if not the details. He did have a way to become a god, and with enough power, could take control of the sun and moon since Celestia and Luna weren't able to contest his control. (Again more stop doing that Kkat since, as said, ordinary ponies COULD control them, it just took a large group of them.) And take over the SPP to control the weather. She also mentions that she had hacked into the MAW computer, going through as many details about the SPP as she could, though regretting not being able to save them to her Pipbuck since it was still offline. Though adding this rather blatent for the fic foreshadowing.
What I didn’t know, what I didn’t learn until a lot later, was that accessing that terminal had set off alarms someplace far away. And that the war was coming.
Eeeep
From what she could figure out, the SPP main hub was above the clouds, protected by the strongest defenses she'd ever seen, and unoccupied. Just as they start to leave the building, there is a loud rumble that shakes the building. The dog/god alicorn had set off the hydrogen flooding the MAS basement, setting the entire building, and the MOK one across the strreet on fire, and ripping open some passages to the tunnels under Canterlot, letting the heavy concentrations of Pink out. Both Velvet and Li'lpip collapse, only making it to the Sky Bandit by Velvet cramming every healing potion they had left down Li'lpip's throat, giving her time to float the rest out, though Calamity couldn't quite make it out of the cloud, passing out as they leave the edge of it, Li'lpip doing her best to float them down safely.
Well at least land them in one of the rivers sourrounding the city. Which, of course, leads to them going off a waterfall.
Canterlot was a long way up the side of the mountain.
Eventually, they all make it to the ground safely. Well, alive anyway, Li'lpip passing out from the exhauston and damage.
The Diamond Orb
Li'lpip is inside some pony standing on top of a building, Rarity just being dropped off by Griffonchaser, asking him if everything was ready. He says yes, then asks who the victim of the spell would be, Rarity repling, herself. As they head inside, Li'lpip noting what a perfect gentlestallion he was being towards Rarity, we find out the answer is 43, and that she was talking about peices of her soul. Oh, Shit!
They keep talking, more and more peices flling into place fo Li'lpip. Oh and we find out the pony she's in is Snips, and he is Rarity's top magician. Yeah weird, but hey with time to gro up and stop being an idiotic little kid, who knows. And after being told not only would this hurt, but it would 'redifine torture' she simply nods and says at least it'll e quick. Brushing off concerns about her even surviving it.
She heads off to prepare, Snips going into a hidden ritual chamber and meeting Snails, the two talking about heir concerns, and while Snips seems to have grown up and stopped being quite so stupid, Snails, doesn't. though do get this nice bit.
“Remember what Rarity always says about you.”
“That I’m tall?”
“No, the other thing,” Snips urged.
“That I may be slow, but I always get there event-u-ally,” Snails said, his voice building in confidence. “And that’s better than she can say for most ponies.”
That is nice, and does make some sense.
Once Rarity arrives, they get to work on the ritual, Li'lpip wishing she could get out of the memory, both due to how vile using the Black Book's magic felt, and to avoid the screams coming from Rarity. As the ritual ends, Snips rushes over to the collapsed rarity, not bothering to look at the new Soul Jar's, Li'lpip not needing him to to know what they were, the memory ending with that, and shifting to a bit of narration from her.
Explaining how she peiced it together, keeping those that hadn't in suspense till the big reveal. Rarity's Soul Jars, we're the Ministry Mare Statuettes. Enchanted to contain a refelction of each ponies true soul.
Quest Perk added: My Little Ponies – You have collected one of each of the six Ministry Mares statuettes. Stronger together than they are apart, they have granted you +1 Luck in addition to their normal benefits.
Thoughts- Present, well no much but the escape in this part, though is rather nice coincidene that the group showed up a day before the big explosion, but that's how stories work I guess. Now as to the chapter as a whole, damn, just damn. This is infamous for it's length, and well, it needed it. having this whole place be a single giant cahpter was a great idea. There is just to much to talk about. Nearly all of it worked, though a few minor things that have been pointed out, and would have prefered they skip the school at the begining, and find some reason to go into the MOM building, jsut to have all six being seen.
And again, MAS was by far my favorite, and the fight in MAW flet a bit tacked on, as did the necrospites, but overall, epic. The fight with Nightseer, her whole deal, the alicorns, everything worked. (though still waiting to hear how the broadcasters inside building that were never filed with Pink got altered.) But, those small flaws are easy for me to ignore or just MST3K Mantra them, becuase the overall story is just so good. (And yes that goes for the fic as a whole as well.)
Past-Well, the last orb as big loud HOLY SHIT!, this one was a more reserved, under the breath, holy shit. It's both a bigger announcment, as well as far smaller and more personal. Seeing just what Rarity went through for her friends.. After that, I was sure Li'lpip would end up being the Element of Generosity. Though the explanation at the end where she learns her true virtue addresses that in a very good way.
One the whole, the Orbs were the best part about this chapter. The first one, as I said din't really seem to fit, wasn't as epic, and didn't show anything really game changing. It was more about Steelhooves character, then the big overarching plot. Not a bad orb or part of the story, just, seems out of place with the other 5. And I did love how they grew, first one, nothing, second, okay important stuff about two of the Mane 6, which comes out to be even bigger later. Third, showing us exactly what The Godess was and explaining just how Redeye was going to do it, and again takes on even more meaning later, though it's stuff you could ficure out on your own jsut with what was known. Third, well, the most sureal, and also the most impotatn as far as Li'lpip's future is concerned, giving the prophetic
Everything ends in Sunshing and Rainbows, if you're willing to face the fire.
Just, damn. And As I explained, I feel better about it this time then the first time. Then the final two, the explanation of just what the SPP was was HUGE, already gushed about that. And finally, ending on a more personal holy shit, rarity, tore her soul apart trying to help her friends, to keep them together. And, even it might even have worked. We do see near the end they were starting to come closer, Pinkie realizing her problems and asking Twi for help, the only fiendship that we're not sure on, and which i'd relly love to know, is what happened between Flutterhsy and RD. But, even if they didn't work to bring the Mane 6 together in time, they DID end up saving Equestria. Their power and magic helping Li'lpip when she needed it most, keeping her going, and well, something even bigger at the start of the next chapter.
