The P-Files

OOC:Arcane Check to know whats going on.
Roll(1d20)+17:
16,+17
Total:33

"We're substitute guards for Luna."   Coffee takes out an official-looking badge from his saddlebags and shows it to 'Rock'

Whisper sends a telepathic message to the others, "I'm just gonna say I'm not comfortable with anypony impersonating one of the princesses when it's not necessary to prevent ponies getting hurt or us getting out of trouble we can't get out of any other way. Nor do I think it's very clever to impersonate Luna in a dream, whether or not other ponies claim she can't tell what's going on in here."

Gleeda looks over this Colt who called himself, Hard Work... Trying to figure out anything worthwhile.

Perception Check:

"I have no intention of impersonating a well-known pony when I don't look anything like her. At least not without a plan or good reason. That's the second thing they teach you not to do when you're learning how to disguise yourself." She scolds telepathically, sending a little mental image of a dozen or so changeling foals at desks while an older one writes on a chalkboard while ranting hysterically.

"No, alas I am not my esteemed Aunt. But I am a princess all the same little Rock, and it is my duty to see to the safety and satisfaction of all our little ponies just as it is hers." She says regally before patting his head with a wing while giving a confident smile and lifting him onto her back telekinetically. "I am Ruby, Princess of Red Roses."

"Wuby, Pwincess of Wed Woses?" - Hard Rock whispers to himself, repeating Chitin's final words as he's ponykinetically placed upon her back - "Sub-sti-toot guawds? Thwen..." the colt looks around at everypony, "Thwen that must make thwa west of you 'Knights of tha Wed Wose!'" 


Suddenly, the amphitheater around you begins to blur, fading in and out of focus. You feel the ground shaking beneath your hooves (and talons), and as the golden star above continues shining down and the warm winds continue blowing, it might just be your imagination, but you swear you smell the fragrance of flowers all around you, moments before bushes of thornless, red roses bloom beneath your hooves (and talons).


-Meanwhile, the dark waters on the edge of the dreamscape seem to grow more and more restless, the sucking sound of their viscous contents becoming more and more noticeable...

History check on Knights of the Red Rose: 9 + 6 = 15

History Check on the Knights of the Red Rose also.
Roll(1d20)+9:
19,+9
Total:28

"Listen, Rock.  This is very important.  We'll soon be fighting the monsters again, but whats important, is that you believe we can beat those monsters."

OOC:Persuasion Check
Roll(1d20)+5:
4,+5
Total:9
Fail.  Someone else want to try?

'Coffee no good with words for colt. Princess help Coffee?' sends to everybody, but mainly to Chitin.

Gleeda chuckles. "Naaa... The kid doesn't need to believe in anything, just know that he can trust us to win the day."

Persuasion Check:

Chitin shakes her head slightly. "I'm a princess and they are my knights. A monster that could best us doesn't exist in this world or any other! So no matter what happens, don't you ever doubt that, little Rock."

persuasion:

At Chitin's words, Whisper gives an encouraging smile.

---

Persuasion aiding Chitin's Persuasion: 9 + 12 = 21. If that works, that's a +4 bonus.

At Coffee's words, especially mention of the monsters, Rock had let out a high-pitched squeal - dropping flat against Chitin's back and covering his eyes with his hooves - all while the golden star at your backs began to set, the wind at your manes began to die, and the red roses began to wilt.

But as Gleeda and (especially) Chitin spoke more reassuringly and Whisper gave a smile to back them up (while Buck, to his credit, gave a nod and the talon's up sign), Rock began to peek out cautiously from behind his forehooves, his purple eyes darting from one pony to the next, hopeful but still uncertain - and everything seemed to give pause - the star, the wind, the roses. Everything.

Outlines of something and glints of something else begin forming in the air around all of you - but as the world holds it's breath, the black tar at it's corners seems to sense it's chance - and the shadows on all sides begin creeping forward yet again, the sickening sucking-slurping sound growing louder and louder...

His ears flicking up at the sound, Rock looks out past the party - staring out across the amphitheater, staring right into the ebon tide. His eyes widen with fright. He hugs Chitin tight like a security blanket. Then he quickly buries his face in her coat, shaking his head furiously. "No! No! No! No! No!" he whimpers, "Don't wet them get me! Pwease!" He starts to cry as he admits, "I'm sowwy! I wish I could help, but they twook Dad, they'll take me to! I can't do anythwing!" 


As Rock utters those words, there's a crash of thunder and a flash of lightning splits the starry sky. The world around you seems to stretch like taffy, pulled in either direction and stretched to it's limits - and then the one amphitheater in which you stand splits into seven scenes. Like windows within windows - two mirrors looking into themselves unto infinity - you look out into seven different images, but each new image shows a different time, a different place, a different Hard Rock. You see Rocks of ever-increasing ages, each at a different stage of his life, a different party or concert in his past, surrounded by grey-scale ponies frozen in time - with pools of black goo creeping steadily towards them. They all echo the words of the little colt - "No! No! No! No! No! Don't let them get me! Please!" They all clutch at their heads, and as one, they all scream - "I'm sorry! I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" 

Spoiler:

"Do we hit the next one?" says Coffee, pointing at a shard with a slightly older Rock.

Whisper looks around for a moment, completely at a loss. Then an idea strikes her, to which she swats away the light-bulb and rubs her head. After which she says, "That's not true Hard Rock. You can do anything at all. Do you know why? Because, It's. Your. BIRTHDAY!!!" As she says this she throws her hooves into the air and an fireworks go off all around and streamers and confetti wiz through the air as a table springs up from the ground and various party games appear in colorful puffs of smoke. Some of the streamers streak over to the assembled ponies to change into party hats and others into shiny balloons. Then from on high come a gaggle of robot ninja pirate pixie ponies that carry down a giant cake before flying off again in a stream of sparkles and rainbows and streaks of fire as they drop. The cake is so large is leaves just enough room for the plates on the table. It's six layers tall, each layer an entirely different kind of cake. Inside the cake is another smaller (but still large) cake. Inside of that cake is an oversized cupcake. As the candles pop up out of the cake, so do chairs around the table. Underneath each chair are presents (in varying sizes) all with notes that they are for Hard Rock. Then spinning up out of the table come the plates and utensils and large mugs of soda.

---

Instant Party.
Roll: 5

Basically, trying to completely change the scene of the dream to something else that puts Hard Rock at ease.

"And that band you like? Its latest album went quadruple-platinum!"

OOC:Arcane effect. Using dream logic to prevent him from realizing I don't actually know the name of the album or band he likes.
Roll(1d20)+17:
12,+17
Total:29

Chitin blows on a noisemaker that seems to have materialized in her mouth with a completely deadpan expression on her face.

rolls:

OOC:Instant Party Roll
Roll(1d20)+0:
1,+0
Total:1
Blech.

OOC:Arcane for general pyrotechnics.  Illusionary bells and whistles and general 'party' atmosphere.
Roll(1d20)+17:
9,+17
Total:26

Amidst all the chaos and confusion, the doom and gloom, the splitting dimensions and the creeping shadows - the littlest Hard Rock turned away from the ebon goo and simply stared as Whisper's party materialized before his eyes. He oohed and ahhed at the streamers, the smoke, the games - and as he watched the robot ninja pirate pixie ponies carry down the giant cake before flying off again in a stream of sparkles and rainbows and streaks of fire - he literally started to drool (more at the mind-blowing robot ninja pirate pixie ponies than the cake actually). He actually laughed as Chitin blew her noisemaker, and his eyes dilated as he watched Coffee's fireworks display.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!" He gasps in response to everything all at once - and as he does so, the other six Rocks all flick up their ears and turn, as one, towards the party.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!"

-They all echo the words of the youngest, and pausing a moment, they all look around cautiously at the boundaries of their shards of reality and the faces of the other Rocks.

An eight-year-old Rock is the first to test his surroundings, taking a tentative step out of some kind of frozen-in-time battle-of-the-bands and setting his hoof down in the amphitheater (to clarify - that's your party's current location). Looking down at his hoof, the kid Rock grin - realizing it's safe - and without further hesitation, he races over to the new party. Seeing this, the other Rocks take their queue - all of them galloping eagerly out of their own settings and converged on the new party too.

-Even as the black goo continues creeping closer, all the Rocks - excluding the littlest Rock (who was still sitting on Chitin's back) form up in a double file before Whisper's massive party display, taking turns staring between the cake, games, and presents while glancing questioningly at Whisper and the rest of you.

Then the eight-year-old Rock finally whispers, "Is that... for all of us?"

Whisper smiles and nods vigorously.

OOC:History Check on the band Crazy Horse
Roll(1d20)+9:
4,+9
Total:13
Bah.



Coffee looks through the other shards and tries to see what other bands are featured.

OOC:Perception check. Do the other shards feature Crazy Horse, or other bands?
Roll(1d20)+5:
16,+5
Total:21

'Anyone heard of the band Crazy Horse? Anyone know what their latest album was?'

Ramsus wrote:Whisper smiles and nods vigorously.

The Hard Rocks let out a group cheer and split up - the younger Rocks heading for the party games and presents while the older Rocks exchange brohoofs and start talking amongst themselves about all things rock related. You notice that the oldest Rock of the group is definitely one of the two ponies you're trying to save.

Coffee's Checks:

But as you watch the Rocks have at it, Chitin feels a soft tug at her mane. Turning back, you see it's the littlest Hard Rock. "She said I could do anyting..." He says hesitantly, pointing at Whisper, "Is dat weally twue?"

Gleeda was looking around... Just a little unsure what to say or think about this weird outcome of all things. And just tries to play along, while keeping an eye out for any new threats.

Dice Rolls:

((Posting this to start tracking, disregard please.))

((Alright, since Subz is back, I'm going to speed things up just a bit...))

As Gleeda tries to remain vigilant, scanning the area for any signs of danger, she catches sight of Buck waving to her from the party table. He cups his talons to his beak and yells, "AY PRINCESS? YA WANT SOME CAKE?!"

Meanwhile, all the Rocks seem preoccupied with the party as well - which you feel is a good thing, at least in a way, since it's keeping them calm.

-Still, you can't help but also feel a bit anxious. With all the party games, cake, and presents, the Rocks don't even notice the menacing black tide flowing in towards them from every side. Yet again, the dark waters are churning up more and more violently, the sucking-slurping having died down - but with the ebon seas even closer now than ever before. The spotlights still shine down from the stage, and the tarry surf boils upon contact with the beams - but still the dark waters churn up faster and faster, looking both relentless and determined...

Whatever mysteries the shadow seas hold, you have a feeling they won't be mysteries for too much longer...

((BTW - You're all able to notice the waters at this point, but Xel's getting something extra...))