Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

[BritBiscuit]

Wait, Whacky, the mare who was speaking for the dead in the support group works at Velvets place as staff or something?

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She wants to get a job there to be with Soft Sweeps more, Whacky Amor is probs her full name.
She seems to see Soft as her dead best friend from what the writting shows, the people seeing her as their lost daugthers,wives,etc... But with how insistent Amor is on Best Friend it seems like she is close to breaking the rules and ending up like the guy who got killed, she seems to be obsessing and slowly lossing her grasp on reality due to stalking her and wanting to be with her constantly, breaking the rules of not interacting to protect the group from losing Soft Sweeps to one pony's obsession.

 

[spiderhellian]

She seems to see Soft as her dead best friend from what the writting shows, the people seeing her as their lost daugthers,wives,etc... But with how insistent Amor is on Best Friend it seems like she is close to breaking the rules and ending up like the guy who got killed, she seems to be obsessing and slowly lossing her grasp on reality due to stalking her and wanting to be with her constantly, breaking the rules of not interacting to protect the group from losing Soft Sweeps to one pony's obsession.

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I think Whacky Amor is less likely to run afoul of the rules than she is to point out those who have. Yes, she's obsessed with Soft Sweeps, but they all are. And she kind of is one of the people closer to Softy than most! She's not going to run afoul of the group, she's Softy's right hand.

She's the one that makes sure "She must make sure that everypony is ready, and that everypony knows".

Until finally, at long last, it is Whacky's own turn. And like she does every other day, the mare who sits at Soft Sweep's right shares a story that isn't her own. She tells them all a story about somepony else, who also lost everything, but who isn't here tonight to share it himself.

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Oh, she's this cult's Lorekeeper, isn't she.

 

[BritBiscuit]

I think Whacky Amor is less likely to run afoul of the rules than she is to point out those who have. Yes, she's obsessed with Soft Sweeps, but they all are. And she kind of is one of the people closer to Softy than most! She's not going to run afoul of the group, she's Softy's right hand.

She's the one that makes sure "She must make sure that everypony is ready, and that everypony knows".

Oh, she's this cult's Lorekeeper, isn't she.

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That is also a valid reading of it, I was just thinking that due to a rule being no interaction that she was already doomed by talking with her and watching the house but yeah she could just be a higher level part of the group who is her friend/right hand.

Also is this cult really aware enough of the Lores to have a Lorekeeper?

Also it seems to me that they are doing a rudementry ritual equivalent.
With the stories of the living's pain to draw the Wolf's attention and having the lead occultist do a different step of telling stories of the dead's pain to lead into the finale of the ritual Soft Sweep (the Wolf) talking of her(the Wolf daughter's) pain.

It just seems to read similarly to the other rituals we've seen with the three steps and different roles, and it seems that it was to all entice the Wolf (Soft) to share her knowledge (pain) after all for the Wolf-divided itself Pain and Knowledge are one in the same. To know Soft's Pain is to gain the Knowledge to enter the Ashen Wastes.
After all to summon Names we had to entice them The Master with Candles, Biedde with the Knife throwing just things to draw attention of the powers, and to draw Softs attention they needed pain.

Im going to just quickly invent a name this not-quite-a-ritual-but-it-feels-like-it and a short description just for fun..

Spoiler: The Rite of Loss

CD: Edge 30 Winter 60
Duration: Instantaneous
Cost: You have already paid the cost
Effect: ''To call upon the Wolf and learn its pain you must first offer your own.'' Allows the pain of the Wolf to speak to the ritualists involved in the Rite
-Failing this rite risks those involved suffering from Dread

 

[DelightedOne]

I think Whacky Amor is less likely to run afoul of the rules than she is to point out those who have. Yes, she's obsessed with Soft Sweeps, but they all are. And she kind of is one of the people closer to Softy than most! She's not going to run afoul of the group, she's Softy's right hand.

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Yeah... If her name does not mean something like with most ponies that would be reassuring. But if her name matches who she is then she might not think that is enough, she could crave more and more of Soft or do things that she shouldn't.

Velvet is a very good example of a "good cultist" that follows the orders of the Master till it is not convenient for her to do so and Amor already wants to break the rules, getting closer to Soft Sweeps could be the start of that, she won't betray Soft but she can definitely stab the Cult to keep her.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Well if that's not a reason to hold back on RAs I don't know what is. A fine reminder that our actions affect multitudes. Not quite a problem yet, but it sure will be with just a bit of a push.

Also, accidentally a whole pack of band new Mansus seekers, we'd better get on with things before they start climbing around in the Stairs. The Old Wolf isn't waiting for us to mosey our way through the game anymore, another player's hit the field. On the other hand, the Fields will probably pose quite the effective barrier to this lot, serenity being particularly tempting to those burdened by grief.

Overall, this really does reinforce my conviction that we really ought to have stronger connections to the town, this was going on for months now and we had no idea at all. Velvet still has no idea in fact, and we the Voices in her head have no good justification for pointing her at this.

 

[DelightedOne]

Velvet still has no idea in fact, and we the Voices in her head have no good justification for pointing her at this.

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If we want to know more about what Soft Sweeps is doing we can just, you know, use 1 action to spend time with her, either All-4 teaching since that was how Soft's influence was chosen or a regular one.

Unrelated train of thought incoming-

Isn't it funny how all endings change the World no matter what? The Paths seem to do that regardless of intention.

Glory will change the World by having Velvet become the only active Hour.

Moon will change the World by restoring the old Mansus and the old Hours.

The Wolf... does Wolf things.

Harmony most likely keeps the most canon from MLP and changes the World to align more with Harmony, more than it already was at the start of the Quest. I wonder if that would hasten the subversion of the Mansus by the Dreamlands or if that would be a epilogue thing.

 

[Venerable Ro]

If we want to know more about what Soft Sweeps is doing we can just, you know, use 1 action to spend time with her, either All-4 teaching since that was how Soft's influence was chosen or a regular one.

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Oh I wish I could get away with pushing for a "holiday turn" for Velvet as she just does a few social actions and spends time with her family. Unfortunately our schedule seems to be quite packed for the near future with no sign of slowing down.

 

[Sveta08]

Oh I wish I could get away with pushing for a "holiday turn" for Velvet as she just does a few social actions and spends time with her family. Unfortunately our schedule seems to be quite packed for the near future with no sign of slowing down.

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I mean, we have the Key that Only Opens expedition, Constables have to be put to work next turn and not just give extra Velvet Actions, most people seem on about the Secret History Sacrement, Selene finishing up her aggressive training montage, Rarity needs to spend time working on her career too, finding the Outsider, who knows what will be the cost from Mareinette at the end of this turn...

Actions aren't quite planned, but there are a few things more or less spoken for...

 

[Solace2117]

I mean the quest is about stopping the Worms from consuming everything while dealing with a broken Manse which is a reflection of the world. Considering what needs to be fixed it's only natural that whatever solution is used greatly changes the world. The world as it is will be consumed otherwise.
The Harmony ending could just as likely be weakening it or integrating it more into something more like the traditional Lores with the negatives that entails. Better than the old set up, but not as good as cannon MLP.

Interesting to see the effects of the Wolf. Interested in what Amor will think when she meets Velvet. Don't know that we'll be able to do much next turn, but not be a bad idea to feel out the town when we can. Who knows though, we'll see what else comes up.

 

[Venerable Ro]

I mean, we have the Key that Only Opens expedition, Constables have to be put to work next turn and not just give extra Velvet Actions, most people seem on about the Secret History Sacrement, Selene finishing up her aggressive training montage, Rarity needs to spend time working on her career too, finding the Outsider, who knows what will be the cost from Mareinette at the end of this turn...

Actions aren't quite planned, but there are a few things more or less spoken for...

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Honestly I'm still vaguely annoyed over the Secret Histories thing, we could have gone on a nice walk with Baldomare and been done with it but instead we're semi-committed (by sunk-cost fallacy if nothing else) to playing chicken with the dice.

But that's just sour grapes really. I'm hopeful that with the Key expedition theoretically settled and perhaps with a book for Baldomare in hoof we'll have a chance to consolidate and make sure no issues aren't creeping up behind us. I honestly thought Amore was one of Copper's at first, and wouldn't that have been a nasty business to discretely uproot?

 

[spiderhellian]

Honestly I'm still vaguely annoyed over the Secret Histories thing, we could have gone on a nice walk with Baldomare and been done with it but instead we're semi-committed (by sunk-cost fallacy if nothing else) to playing chicken with the dice.

But that's just sour grapes really. I'm hopeful that with the Key expedition theoretically settled and perhaps with a book for Baldomare in hoof we'll have a chance to consolidate and make sure no issues aren't creeping up behind us. I honestly thought Amore was one of Copper's at first, and wouldn't that have been a nasty business to discretely uproot?

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I am definitely partial to just ditching our personal sacrament and going for Baldomare's. Every time I see it on the Sacrament page I wish we had gone for it — and it's not too late.

We learn some deep lore and it's SO much easier to get. And likely less dangerous too.

We spent an action to get a Knock scrap, all's well that ends well, sunk cost is a fallacy for a reason!

 

[Venerable Ro]

Heck, if we really wanted to I don't see why we wouldn't be able to further pursue the concept with our alternate selves later, Velvet knows what she was doing to trigger the effect once, surely she could pick it up again later. It just wouldn't get us a sacrament and whatever "big enlightenment" moment because we'd already have it.

Besides, it's Baldomare, adventures with Baldomare are always fun, maybe she'd teach us that "being whatever tribe is most useful at the moment" trick.

 

[Solace2117]

I'll probably still be pushing for the personal sacrament. If people decide to go for Baldomare's, it is what it is, I'm not that worried about the sunk cost though. It's just the sacrament that interests me the most. The story posts where we've seen flashes of it from the one in Canterlot with the multiple paths to recently when we explored the world of Knock Velvet are some of the more narratively interesting. Also from a story perspective I prefer the lore of Velvet's brand to be from her own perspective. I understand it doesn't matter as much mechanically, but I like it more narratively.

 

[Roaming_Guardian]

When I started reading this, I thought Marinette was playing fuck fuck games behind our back cause it REEKED of Grail. I was gonna advocate to start gathering up enough artillery to put the puppet in the forever box.

I legitimately cannot tell if I am relieved or even more concerned it's just Soft Sweeps support group evolving into a Cult all by itself.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

I also find Velvet's Sacrament to be more interesting. Besides, we'll probably use Baldomare for a Lantern Sacrament anyways, so we'll have that going for us.

EDIT: It also can get us Scraps, as we saw earlier, which is pretty great.

 

[Venerable Ro]

I legitimately cannot tell if I am relieved or even more concerned it's just Soft Sweeps support group evolving into a Cult all by itself.

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At the moment it seems to be The Wolf's cult with Soft Sweeps playing the part of a Delphic oracle. I personally suspect that further Regrettable Actions will strengthen the connection and give The Wolf a clearer connection to influence his adherents/victims with. Honestly I don't have an issue with Soft going out and meeting her own friends, our daughter can have a cult if she likes, as a treat.

The Wolf on the other hand, deserves no cults and should not be indulged.

Hmm, brainstorms on how to give Soft a bit more agency? I wonder if advancing her in the Lores as a part of our family will tip the balance back in her favor.

 

[Limabot]

At the moment it seems to be The Wolf's cult with Soft Sweeps playing the part of a Delphic oracle. I personally suspect that further Regrettable Actions will strengthen the connection and give The Wolf a clearer connection to influence his adherents/victims with. Honestly I don't have an issue with Soft going out and meeting her own friends, our daughter can have a cult if she likes, as a treat.

The Wolf on the other hand, deserves no cults and should not be indulged.

Hmm, brainstorms on how to give Soft a bit more agency? I wonder if advancing her in the Lores as a part of our family will tip the balance back in her favor.

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I think spending more time with our family and Ponyville in general may help. If nothing else, we might have the chance to hear something about the disappearances of a few of the Therapy members or Soft Sweeps sleep-preaching about how reducing the keepsakes of lost loved ones to painful lung-ash is somehow a good thing.

 

[Sveta08]

Hmm, brainstorms on how to give Soft a bit more agency? I wonder if advancing her in the Lores as a part of our family will tip the balance back in her favor.

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Soft is dead though? Thought that was known.

Her last act of personal agency was quite literally killing herself. Since then it has been the shape of the memory that Velvet had and has of her that has been pressed into a shape and filling them full.
Since then, her personal agency has been... partially hers, partially the gestating wolf in/of her. Her conscious mind and dreaming mind half split and half... something I can't quite figure out.
Not allowed to die, forced to endure, made... something else.

Soft Sweeps as Velvet knew them is alive. But Soft as an independent actor with personal agency kinda... isn't. Hasn't been for a while I think.


If you want to try anyway, offer to push her and to prove otherwise, feel free. Give her time, let her out of the house, offer and or force her to take time away to do what she herself wants.
See where that leads.

 

[Kaelor]

Afternoon fades into dusk over the growing town of Ponyville, as the sun lazily makes its way to the west horizon. However, despite the growing influx of newcomers, there really isn't much activity happening in the late hours yet.

Most stores still close their doors, when the hours grow late. Most streets still lack light posts, or some form of public illumination. In fact, the town doesn't even have a large enough source of electricity to speak of, and its inhabitants still mostly rely on mundane methods, such as magic or fire, to pierce through the darkness.

Of course, one can already see signs of change here and there. So, even though most of the citizens of this small town are still laborers or craftsponies, there is also a growing minority who is not physically exhausted and looking forward to sleeping as the night approaches. Not enough ponies to truly change the "atmosphere" that Ponyville has, of an idyllic earth pony village, but enough to at least influence it.

Meaning that, even though the night is fast approaching, there are still ponies out and about in the streets. There are still ponies who have not yet finished their activities, or who might even be about to start their activities, even though Princess Celestia is about to steal the sun away from the skies.



And one of those ponies is currently walking through the streets of Ponyville. Making her way to the east road that leads away from the city.



As far as anypony could tell, she looks like a perfectly ordinary mare. An earth pony, with a coat so dark it might as well be black, and a mane of dark redd-ish color. Not bright enough to be the color of fire, but not dark enough to be the color of blood either. She is also carrying a saddlebag on her back, and the white color of the bag can almost be described as "clashing" with the color of her fur.

Her cutie mark, displayed on her flank for all the world to see, also seems perfectly ordinary. A flower, a pair of masks, and a lace connecting all of them together. Not the kind of cutie mark that would immediately tell somepony what her skills are, but still normal enough for anypony to be able to make a polite guess.

And her name… doesn't really matter. She isn't really the kind of mare who minds being called this or that, and she is more than glad to entertain nicknames and whatnot. Still, her friends usually call her Amor.

Although she doesn't really have many friends.

In fact, she only has one.

…

As she walks through the streets of Ponyville, making her way east, she starts to hum a soft tune. A merry little jingle, that she is making up on the spot, that she hums in time with her trot.

She is humming that song because, in all honesty, she can't really help it. After all, this is her favorite part of the week! In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that she spends almost every other day waiting for this night to arrive.

And how could she not? Tonight is the night where she meets her friend!

So, she merrily hums that tune as she makes her way through town.

That is, until she finally passes by a… certain place.

Like every other week, the path she takes as she walks through Ponyville inevitably crosses the center of the town. Which means that, like every other week, she is once again passing right in front of… this place.

It is a structure unlike any other in Ponyville. Not as grandiose as the town hall, which is currently being rebuilt, and not as eye-catching as some of the more eccentric houses. But still, this place has a unique look of its own.

And that is because Amor is currently staring at what is, or perhaps was, the town library. A treehouse, or a house that is literally built from a tree, that stands in one of the roads near the center of Ponyville.

Although, like anypony else, she can immediately tell that said library had seen better days.

After all, she can barely tell that the place is shaped like a tree. Because there are no leaves or flowers to speak of, and most of its branches have already rotted and fallen down.

Furthermore, to say that the structure is in disrepair is an understatement. The "natural" parts of the tree look rotten and sick, but the "pony-made" parts of the structure look no better. And everywhere she looks, she can spot a broken window, or a misaligned door, or some other sign that this place is in desperate need for the attention of a cutie-marked carpenter.

But most of all, this place is unique because of…

Most ponies prefer to just ignore this place. In fact, most ponies in Ponyville either pretend this place doesn't exist, and just avoid this road altogether.

However, Amor… doesn't. In fact, it is the opposite with her.

And just like every other week, she spends… more than just a few moments staring at the rotting tree-house. Just like every other week, she can feel the thing that is emanating from that place. Like a strange warmth that comes from an invisible bonfire, or a strong smell that sticks to the coat.

And just like every other week, she… slowly, cautiously makes her way towards the worn front door.

Amor makes her way towards the front door, noticing that the sign that used to hang over the door is no longer there. Although she was sure that it was there last week. Another sign of disrepair, no doubt. Another thing that was simply lost.

She reaches the front door, and she can almost taste the feelings that are covering this place.

And she knows that… she knows that it would be so simple. It would be as easy as picking up a ripe fruit, that is hanging from a low branch.

She could call whoever lives in that place right now, and she knows that pony would follow. All she needed to do was knock on that door. All she needed to do was extend a hoof, and the denizen of this catacomb would practically lunge to hold on to it.

Amor slowly raises her hoof, inching it closer and closer to the front door…



But like every other week, she stops.



She stops herself. She stops her hoof. And as painful as it might be, she wrangles herself away from that temptation.

Because there are rules to this. There are rules to their… gathering, that she knows she must obey.

In fact, she was the one who wrote them.

And just like every other week, she almost broke the very first rule that they all must follow.

Do not invite any newcomers, unless She was the one who called for them.

Yes… yes. She must follow the rules.

No matter how inviting this place seems to be.

No matter how obvious this option might look like.

The pony who dwells in this place has not yet been called by… her friend. Her one and only very best friend has not yet called for whoever lives in this place. She has not yet mentioned this place, or looked at it, or even thought about it. Which can only mean that something, perhaps the gathering, or perhaps the pony who lives here, is not ready yet.

Which means that, once again, she must painfully force herself to lower her hoof, and leave that door undisturbed.

It is a shame they stopped leafletting, ever since the rules were put into place. But again, almost all the ponies who came because of the leaflets have already left, and only the ones She called have stayed. So…

Well, she should be on her way.

Letting out one last, pained sigh, Amor drags herself away from the rotting tree-house, and makes her way to the road that leaves Ponyville.

Soon, she knows. So very soon…





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Dusk fades into sunset over the growing town of Ponyville, as the sun touches the west horizon and patiently waits for its Princess to dismiss it. However, despite the fact that daylight has almost entirely faded, there are still ponies going about their business.

Or rather, it is precisely because daylight has almost entirely faded that some ponies are going about their business.

Ponyville is a growing town, and it has already started to feel the touch of progress. However, that progress so far has only been in the realm of quantity, rather than quality. A few more streets have already been beaten into the dirt, and new houses have been built where there was once only grass. But still, no roads have been paved yet, and the ground has not yet been kissed by concrete or iron or the things that form the foundations of larger buildings.

That might happen very soon, or perhaps that might never happen during any living pony's lifetime.

But still, right now, Ponyville remains quaint, if nothing else. Which means that Ponyville is still surrounded by what can be described as "wilderness".

Granted it is a tamed wilderness. After all, the east of Ponyville is covered in farms, and the west sees a great stretch of orchards. And the river that crosses the town is closely controlled and crisscrossed by bridges.

However, there are still untouched stretches of forest to the north and the south. There is still the cautious threat of the nearby Everfree Forest.

And most importantly, there are still places where things like this can happen.

"He is still at it. Hit him again."

"Yeah, I can see it."​

"No! NO! You don't understand, I just want to-ACK!"



In a place that isn't exactly far from Ponyville, but that isn't exactly close either, a group of ponies is…



"I-… I… Y-you don't understand. She LOVES me. I saw the way she looked at me. She-!"

"Shut up!"​

A group of ponies is currently gathered around a tied-up stallion. Some of them are carrying bats and metal bars, and one of them has a shove.

But most notable of all, every single one of them has a disgusted expression on their face. Every single one of them is disgusted, or angry, or a mixture of both.

All of them, except for the stallion who, every few minutes, is getting struck by one of his captors.

Because even though the stallion is tied up and bleeding, he still has a smile in his face. Even though some of his bones are broken, and he is clearly in pain, he still has an expression that can only be described as insane.



"You don't get it. NONE OF YOU DO! I met her before! We grew up together, i-in Cloudsdale! We promised we'd marry! Just ask her. ASK HER! I proposed to her right before the Catastrophe! And it's a miracle that I found her here!"

"I think he's too far gone…"

"Yeah, I think he's a lost cause as well."​

"NONE OF YOU ARE GOING TO STOP M-ARGH!"



And all of those ponies, without exception, have one thing in common. Some of them are from Ponyville, and most of them are from other places around Equestria. But all of them, even the stallion who is tied up, are part of the same… group.

They are all part of the same gathering, so to speak.

They have all met, and they all meet every week, in the tightly knit grieving support group that operates in the quaint town of Ponyville.

Which means that they all know the rules.

"Anypony disagrees?"​

The other ponies gathered around the tied-up stallion all shake their heads. They all ignore the insane, deranged claims of the stallion, and they confer with each other one last time before making their decision.

Because they all know the rules. The three, very simple rules that they must follow, while they wait.

They all know the rule that the stallion broke, and that he must be punished for.

Do not speak to Her, and do not approach Her, unless She approaches you first.

"Clouded River, do the honors."​

The old stallion says that to one of the pegasus, and the pegasus unceremoniously raises the bat he is holding on his mouth-



"DEATH WON'T STOP ME! IT DIDN'T STOP HER! I SAW HER DIE IN CLOUDSDALE, AND YET WE MET AG-!"



-and he brings it down on the tied-up stallion's head, smashing it into a bloody pulp.

Finally silencing the bleeding pony.

"Alright everypony, lets get rid of the body and head to the meeting. Whacky is already going to fetch the young Miss. Oh, and make sure to clean up any bloodstains before heading back, yes? We don't want another ketchup incident."

A few chuckles erupt here and there, as some of the ponies get to work.

And the light humor they are all sharing makes it very clear none of them regret doing this.

The rules, they all know, are a necessity. An agreement that they all reached, or perhaps that was imposed upon them, so they can better control their own individual pains while they all wait.

Because ultimately, that is all they can do. The only thing they can do is wait for… what comes next. For what they know is coming, but that they can neither accelerate nor slow down.

And the rules are there to help them keep to their roles. So, they can better play the part of the audience, or perhaps the gathering Host, until the time finally arrives.

After all, as the first rule states, there is no need to try and call new members. Because the members they invite in are always wrong in one way or the other. They always leave, or they fail, or eventually become a problem one way or the other.

No, only those who are called by her, or who arrive on their own, become viable members of their gathering. That is the purpose of the first rule.

Furthermore, they can't really interact with her either. And that is why the second rule is in place. They can't interact with her, or at least they must be very careful when doing so, because they all… well, they all see her in a different way.

Some of them swear that she looks like a daughter, or a sister, or a wife. Or somepony else they lost. They swear that she is somepony who they love, and that they must -that they deserve- to have her for themselves.

Some of them swear they saw her, or still see her, in their dreams. That they are certain, with an ironclad conviction, that she is calling to them every night.

And some of them swear she spoke to them, in private, at some point. And that she commanded them to do… something, that involved her.

They have all gone through that. They all still go through that, every time they see her. And naturally, the idea… nay, the certainty that a pony you loved, or still love, is right there can make some ponies… act out in rather unsavory ways. So, they have all learned to resist those thoughts.

And that is the purpose of the second rule. To make sure everypony keeps a healthy distance from her, lest one of them does something they shouldn't and ruins the gathering for everypony else.

Most of them have learned to push those feelings away, and can even talk to her normally, on the rare occasions that she stops and speaks to one pony or another.

Some of them needed… encouragement. Like the pony who is currently using his shovel to dig a grave, who nowadays wear an eyepatch over one of his empty eye sockets because… well, because he needed help so he could see things better.

And a few ponies, like the one who is about to be buried, simply can't control themselves at all.

So, acts like this are necessary.

Because it is imperative that they do not scare her away.

After all, if she ever decided to stop coming to their gatherings… well, the inevitable would still happen, some day in the future. But they would not be a part of it.

And that, they all know, is an agony none of them are prepared to suffer.

"Do you think she will share anything today?"

"Oh, I sure hope so. But as always…"

"Yes, we can only wait."

"Yes. It is agonizing, isn't it?"​

A few more chuckles erupt here and there, at the familiar joke.

And soon enough, yet another body is buried and forgotten in the tree-covered outskirts of Ponyville.

After which a group of ponies, united by loss and who help each other in their grief, make its way to their weekly meeting.





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Amor doesn't really have a high opinion of herself.

She can do this and that, of course, and she knows where her heart lies. But she doesn't really consider herself to be an extraordinary pony.

Still, she is patient.

Sunset has finally happened, and the moon is now just above the east horizon. There are no clouds to speak of, so the faint moonlight is more than enough for her to be able to see.

And like she does every week, she is currently… waiting.

She is sitting under a tree, on a hill east of Ponyville. She is sitting on a hill that is right in front of a mansion, that is located just outside of Ponyville. A small cluster of fancy buildings, placed around a pretty garden, that is in turn surrounded by vast stretches of farmlands.

The seat of the local noble, from what she heard.

But more importantly, the home of her best friend!

Amor doesn't mind waiting. In fact, she is more than prepared not to leave that spot, even if she has to wait until sunrise. After all, she isn't as interested in going to the gathering as much as she is interested in being with her friend. So, if her friend doesn't feel like going to the gathering, she will stay there all night. And if her friend decides to come, she will accompany her there.

This, without a doubt, is the high point of her week. The thing she looks forward to the most.

But still, it doesn't change the fact that waiting is boring. So, like every other week, she is currently indulging in one of her hobbies.

Wood carving.

Amor carries several items in her saddlebag, for nights like this. Some food, in case she needs to wait the whole night. A blanket in case it gets cold.

And a few small blocks of wood, as well as a knife.

So, right now she is working on one of those blocks. Right now, she is trying to sculps a replica of… well, of the only relevant structure she can really see, given where she is sitting.

Which means she is slowly carving the wooden block into a small, and crudely made, replica of the noble mansion where her friend lives.

…

It is a little funny, she thinks, of how strange her carvings come out.

Because whenever she is carving wood, chipping away little pieces of it with her knife, she doesn't really think about what she is doing. In fact, she just lets her hoofs guide the process.

So, sometimes the wood-replica of the mansion will be a bit crooked, here and there. And sometimes it will have a few details that, no matter how hard she looks, she can't really find in real life.

But most of the time, she will be surprised by the fact that for some reason… she carves something else, other than a replica of the mansion.

Because when she really gets distracted, when she really lets her hoofs move on their own, she inevitably ends up carving what seems to be a small pair of dogs.

Sometimes, she will just carve a little blocky mansion with two tiny dogs sleeping in front of it. Sometimes, she will carve a replica of the mansion, but with bits and pieces of it broken down as if they had been gnawed by a pair of mouths.

And sometimes, she will just carve two dogs. Biting each other, or themselves, with no mansion in sight. An entire block of wood chipped down to a pair of canines, even though she had her eyes on the mansion the entire time she was working on it.

She can't really explain it, but it's not like she thinks too hard about it either.

However, tonight she…

…

… tonight, she…

…

There is something different ontonight.

She doesn't know what it is. She can't even explain it. But the moment she sat down on the hill that overlooks the mansion, and started working on her little block of wood, she could feel that…

… that something new is in the air.

She can feel it, in the dryness of her throat and in the beating of her heart. She can feel it, even though it is so faint that it is almost painful.

But still, she knows that there is nothing she can do.

Like everypony else, she can only wait.

So, she continues to carve her little block of wood. Not taking her eyes out of the mansion even for a second, as her hoofs work away.

Until finally, finally, she sees what she had been waiting for.

The front door of the mansion opens, leaking out a bit of candlelight, and a lone mare walks out of it.

And of course, Amor recognizes her instantly. That's her friend! That's the pony she had been waiting for all along! In fact she gets so excited that she stands up and begins to wave a hoof.

She almost yells out her name! She almost yells for Soft Sweeps to look at her!

However… it doesn't take long for her to realize something is wrong with her friend.

Because unlike every other night, her friend isn't opening her wings and flying towards her. In fact, from the speed she is walking, it doesn't even look like she is awake.

Instead, Amor watches as her friend just… begins to walk. She watches as the pegasus mare walks through the garden, and walks out through the front gate, and starts making her way towards Ponyville, without even sparing Amor a glance.

Soft Sweeps knows Amor is there. Of course she does. They always meet here before going to the gathering.

And yet, this time… the way she is acting…

…

Ah.

There is a smile on Amor's face, as she finally understands what is going on. And rather than feeling discouraged, or feeling despondent because her dear friend didn't come talk to her, she actually feels thrilled.

Because she can already tell that… that whatever happened, whatever it is that she is feeling inside of her…

It is a sign.

It is a sign that tonight will be special.

It is a sign that this is the night, or perhaps one of the nights, they have been waiting for this whole time. Ever since the gathering came together.

So, she must make sure everything is ready.

She immediately jumps into action, throwing the block of wood away, and almost forgetting to stash her knife in saddlebag. And moments later, she is already galloping towards Ponyville. Her quick pace being sure to get her there before Soft's almost-sleepwalking speed.

Because she knows, she just knows, that she must get there before her friend does. She must make sure that everypony is ready, and that everypony knows, before her friend gets there.

In fact, she is so thrilled and so focused on this calling, that she doesn't even notice what her hoofs had just carved.

She doesn't even notice that the block of wood, that she so carelessly tossed away the moment she spotted her friend, had a carving of three dogs, all running after each other's tail in a circle. Three wolves, as opposed to the two she had been accidentally carving this whole time.

A new revelation was upon them.





- - -

- - -

- - -





There is something wrong with Soft Sweeps tonight.

Everypony realizes it. Everypony can see it.

But nopony mentions it to her. In fact, nopony wants to mention that to her.

Not only because the rules forbid speaking to her, unless one is spoken to. But also because…

Well, because the young pegasus looks like she is in a trance. And there isn't a single pony here who wants to wake her from that state.

…

The Ponyville grief support group is an assortment of different ponies. They all came from different cities, and they all came from different walks of life.

Some of them were rich, and others were poor. Some of them are young, and others are old.

But all of them, without exception, lost everything. All of them saw their lives burn to the ground when the Catastrophe happened. And all of them have been carrying the pain of that loss ever since.

They were all, almost without exception, nearly drowned by the mind-numbing shock of seeing their lives go up in flames.

And they were all dragged out of the murky pit of their misery by her. Woken up by her words, and given new life by the flame that she placed inside their hearts.

They all went through that, and they are all grateful to her…



… even though the young pegasus herself has no idea that she did any of that.



Still, tonight things are different.

Tonight, young Soft Sweeps is barely herself. And ever since she entered the room, she has not spoken to anypony. She just made her way, glassy-eyed and mumbling to herself, to the chair where she usually sits. She just sat down in the circle and did nothing more, balancing her body back and forth as if she was trapped inside of her own mind.

Thankfully, they were all ready for that. Because to everypony's surprise, Whacky had come galloping into the room just a few minutes prior, and had warned all of them that tonight was the night.

So, as Soft Sweeps takes her seat, and stares at the floor as if she was sleepwalking, they all… play their parts.

Because for some reason, for some maddening reason that nopony can explain, they all know what they must do. And the pain they carry inside their hearts, the flame that burns at their chest every single day, is growing so strong that it is almost painful, tonight.

So, they start their meeting the same way they always do. They begin to tell their own stories, to share the pain that haunts them, like they would any other week.

But tonight, even that feels different. Tonight, it feels like their pains are burning so strongly inside their chests that it will burn them from the inside if they do not let them out in the form of words.



"Would anypony like to share anything tonight?" the old stallion asks, starting off the meeting like he always does.



And so, they all begin to share.

The stallion sitting to Soft Sweep's left begins to talk. He tells everypony about his family, his wife and his son, and how they all choked and died when the fires began. He tells everypony of how heavy they felt on his forelegs, as he hugged their dead and dirty bodies inside the charred husk of his home. And how he still feels their weight, sometimes, when he is alone.

Once he is done, the mare to his left continues. She begins to talk about her own loss, sharing details she had never told anypony else before. About how her brother turned into a monster, and how she fled instead of trying to protect their mother.

And then the next pony speaks, and the next, and the next. Starting from Soft Sweep's left and going clockwise. Malady upon malady. Misery after misery. The orphaned son. The grieving grandmother. The limbs that were lost, either burned or crushed, while they tried to drag out bodies from under the rubble. They all share their own agonies, until the atmosphere is so heavy with it that it almost feels like there is smoke in the air. As if some unseen fire is burning nearby, coming from their chests and leaking out of their mouth in the form of words, and slowly covering the room.

As if something else is nearby, stalking around the circle of chairs on silent paws, making the air heavier and dirtier with its presence.

Until finally, at long last, it is Whacky's own turn. And like she does every other day, the mare who sits at Soft Sweep's right shares a story that isn't her own. She tells them all a story about somepony else, who also lost everything, but who isn't here tonight to share it himself.

Her words are almost painful to the ears, but they all listen to her nonetheless.

After all, it is only right that somepony represents those who were already taken by the flames.

And when she is done speaking, they all turn to the last pony. They all turn, with rapt attention, to the one mare who has not yet shared anything tonight.

They all turn to Soft Sweeps, and they hold their breath lest the filthy smoke in the air causes them to choke.

And finally… finally…

… she begins to speak.

"I have a picture of my family… my old family… the one that burned, when everypony died…"​

Her words are so low that they might as well be a whisper.

But the filthy air, that doesn't smell like blood or tar or ozone, but something worse altogether, is somehow carrying her words with perfect clarity.

"I keep it in a drawer, by the bed… I look at it every night, after I'm done with the day…"​

They all listen to her, as she speaks. They all listen, and not a single sound is heard other than that of her words.

After all, the third rule, the most important rule, exists precisely for moments like this.

"But tonight, when I looked at it, I realized that… that it was a bit damaged. The paper was a bit wrinkled… the picture was… starting to show signs of age…"​

And the third rule is that…

… under no circumstances interrupt Her while She speaks.

"And that made me realize that… that one day, that picture will be gone, you know? One day, the one thing that I have to remember them by… it will be gone. It will turn into dust. It won't be there anymore."​

The young pegasus says that, as she looks down at her hoofs.

She looks down at her hoofs as if she is she is holding the picture at that exact moment. She looks down at her hoofs, as if she is looking at the memory of her dead family even as she whispers her next words.

"So I… I was suddenly struck with the thought that… that I should stop that? No, that wasn't it… I suddenly had this idea that… that I should do something about it. That it isn't fair… it isn't right, to let the picture turn to dust. To let it fade, day after day. It… it isn't right, so I couldn't let it happen."​

She says that, and suddenly… something happens.

It is not anything anypony can see. It is not something that is taking place in real life. However, even though the air is clear, and even though there is nothing to be seen in that room other than a group of ponies sitting around in a circle of chairs…

… for some reason, everypony can feel the smell of smoke. As if something is burning on the young pegasus' hoofs.

"So I… I burned the picture. I burned it. The last memory I had of them. I burned it all, until it turned into ashes… And the ashes burned my mouth in return as I swallowed them down." ​

The smell of smoke seems to be coming from her hoof, as if she is holding a burning picture that is slowly crumbling into a tiny pile of ash.

"And this burning sensation… I can still feel it. It still hurts… It will never stop hurting… This burn in my throat, it is part of me now… And they will never leave me again."​

She says that, and then she stares at her hoof. At her hoof, or at the memory of a picture she once held, or perhaps at the tiny, charred spot that she has there, from having held a flame.

And then she…

…

…she takes a deep breath, her eyes suddenly going wide and focused as if she just woke up from a dream.

"W-what?! When did I-?!"

And just like that, all the strange and dirty smells that had been weighing down the air disappear a moment later.

Soft Sweeps looks around her, almost as if shocked by the fact that she is here. She recognizes everypony, of course, and she immediately knows where she is.

But it is also blatantly clear that she has no idea how she got here, or what just happened.

"I-I… I have to go!" she says, more out of panic than anything else, and immediately jumps up from her chair.

"Hold on Soft, let me walk you home!" and Whacky follows right after her, like she always does.

Leaving everypony else… there, to wonder and discuss what just happened.

To write down the instructions they just received, of what they ought to do next.

On that night, they all took a precious item they had been holding on to. A stuffed toy that belonged to a foal, a cherished scarf knitted for a loved one. They all took those precious items, and they burned them. They burned them, in the privacy of their own homes, right before they went to bed.

They burned them, and then they swallowed down the dirty ashes that remained.

That night, sixteen of them had the Dream. Fifteen woke up to share the news with their fellows, and one of them woke with his lungs full of ash, as he almost did not survive what found him during his dreams.

And from that night onwards, their purpose was a little clearer.

Spoiler: A few days later

"What do you mean you want a job as a maid, Amor?"

"Well, it only makes sense! It would be awesome to work in the same place as you work. Besides, don't you think I would look great in the uniform?"

"Being a maid is… a lot more stuff than just wearing a uniform! And besides, I can't just get you a job like that. I-I just work there! I don't have that kind of power."

"Psht. Of course you do! And come oooon, I can't take seeing you just once a week anymore-"

"W-what do you mean by that?!"

"-can't you do this favor for your faithful Wacky?"

"… fine… I'll… see what I can do?"

"Huzzah!"

Just a group of ponies dealing with their own problems.

Click to shrink...

Well...fuck.

 

[Pharohman777]

I like Velvets secret histories personal sacrament. It could lead to fun things in the future involving other Velvets.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

Soft is dead though? Thought that was known.

Her last act of personal agency was quite literally killing herself. Since then it has been the shape of the memory that Velvet had and has of her that has been pressed into a shape and filling them full.
Since then, her personal agency has been... partially hers, partially the gestating wolf in/of her. Her conscious mind and dreaming mind half split and half... something I can't quite figure out.
Not allowed to die, forced to endure, made... something else.

Soft Sweeps as Velvet knew them is alive. But Soft as an independent actor with personal agency kinda... isn't. Hasn't been for a while I think.


If you want to try anyway, offer to push her and to prove otherwise, feel free. Give her time, let her out of the house, offer and or force her to take time away to do what she herself wants.
See where that leads.

Click to shrink...

The deal with Bird was that Soft would come back not what you're implying here.

Also, I much prefer our own Sacrament.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Soft Sweeps as Velvet knew them is alive. But Soft as an independent actor with personal agency kinda... isn't. Hasn't been for a while I think.

Click to shrink...

Having gone back and read through both the chapter that directly dealt with the revivification and the latter chapter where Soft had her mission and met Cantrip, I feel confident in asserting that Soft is entirely present. It wouldn't be much of a Wolf-wish if we didn't get exactly what we asked for after all, and a wholly-present Soft Sweeps being slowly hollowed out and corrupted by our actions would be so much worse, no?

We know in the local cosmology that death isn't a simple cessation, therefore a particularly ambitious/abhorrent working could certainly retrieve a wayward soul. Especially if the death was, recent.

So, inside our daughter is two agendas, her own and The Wolf's. Issue is, Soft is playing with a significant handicap in that she doesn't know there's a contest on at all, she can't win if she doesn't know she's fighting.

 

[Solace2117]

Soft is dead though? Thought that was known.

Her last act of personal agency was quite literally killing herself. Since then it has been the shape of the memory that Velvet had and has of her that has been pressed into a shape and filling them full.
Since then, her personal agency has been... partially hers, partially the gestating wolf in/of her. Her conscious mind and dreaming mind half split and half... something I can't quite figure out.
Not allowed to die, forced to endure, made... something

Click to shrink...

I don't know that that's completely true. The fact Luna was still able to communicate with her contradicts that she's dead. To an extent narratively there's some truth. Arguably it's more a part of her is still asleep, but she still has personal agency. It's just more if we keeping doing RAs the seed of the wolf within her wakes up. It's kind of like a shadow of Velvet's own descent every time she stains her soul only Soft has no choice there on that matter.

 

[Quaxotia]

I just hope that the wolf cultists don't cause much more trouble, assuming we don't stain our soul any further. Though I won't be surprised if the wolf aims to have them actively make the world a worse place and/or get into conflict with Velvet to try to drive her into more RAs.

 

[Sveta08]

Hmm.
I will have to spend a while re-reading on over what has happened with Soft. I will say now that I don't remember all of it in as stark clarity as I did a while back.
That said...

Soft does feel... dead with how I have read it. Not that she is dead, or that she might not have agency, but that she... She is different. Different in a way that isn't wolf like.
Not that she isn't more wolf like now. Just taking a glance through her meeting with Cantrip and that much is abundantly clear. But she feels...

I am not certain if it is me reading too much into it, there being more important things for Wire/Bird/QM to write about or what, but she feels less than before.
There isn't the hesitation, there isn't the uncertainty, there isn't the quiet embarrassment and the not quite knowing how to treat it that Velvet considers her a daughter.
When Silky calls her sister, she no longer pauses or rolls her eyes, and responds in kind. When around Velvet she doesn't sound as uncertain or worried in her place of things.
Some of this can be attributed to growth, yes. But these changes have only been seen after her resurrection. After there was the wolf.


I.... probably worded it poorly to have it be evocative. Dead may be wrong, but it feels something close.
Who she was is... there, if only just. It feels like Soft is alive insofar only as Velvet thought of her. That means she has some agency yes, but how much is wolf tainted desire and how much is... gegh, how did Baldomare put it to Jade? "With your back towards Glory, but seeing it all the same."
Soft feels like she has agency in the same way. That she has the idea of agency that Velvet gave to her when she was pulled back. That it has the look of it, the face of it, that it has the same motions and actions, but it's... twisted. Bent.

I don't know how to better put it. Feels like Velvet's memory and hopes for Soft piloting her body.
If that's true, I don't know how she'd react to the lores. I don't know if it is Soft fighting against the wolf inside them, or if it is Soft the wolf imitating Soft the pony.
... and if memory serves, I don't believe Velvet has shared with Soft any indication of lore, directly or otherwise. Even when the rest of the family learned, she didn't. And even when it came to Selene, it was separate. It feels like a choice, telling her, that hasn't been given away yet.

Pardon, just... I do not feel there is as much to her there as there once was. I feel it is more the impression Velvet had of Soft.

 

[des-pair-2]

This is fine, this is nothing to worry about because we will not Stain our soul further.

Though, while I was thinking about Wolf, I realized one thing. Do you all remember when we learned that dreamlands are converting Woods into itself? I wonder what is happening with that now. Probably nothing good, as is all things involving Wolf.

 

[AuthorTransient]

I don't know how to better put it. Feels like Velvet's memory and hopes for Soft piloting her body.
If that's true, I don't know how she'd react to the lores. I don't know if it is Soft fighting against the wolf inside them, or if it is Soft the wolf imitating Soft the pony.
... and if memory serves, I don't believe Velvet has shared with Soft any indication of lore, directly or otherwise. Even when the rest of the family learned, she didn't. And even when it came to Selene, it was separate. It feels like a choice, telling her, that hasn't been given away yet.

Pardon, just... I do not feel there is as much to her there as there once was. I feel it is more the impression Velvet had of Soft.

Click to shrink...

If the Wolf of Self-Loathing and Regret is the nuclear option, then Softy is the heart that its codes are embedded into.

 

[Greymere]

Heck, if we really wanted to I don't see why we wouldn't be able to further pursue the concept with our alternate selves later, Velvet knows what she was doing to trigger the effect once, surely she could pick it up again later. It just wouldn't get us a sacrament and whatever "big enlightenment" moment because we'd already have it.

Click to shrink...

Because the powers the Sacrament gives are directly tied to, y'know, achieving the Sacrament? If you want Velvet to advance her History-sight stuff, then you have to go for her personal Sacrament. Otherwise it's just going to stay as it currently is.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Hmm.
I will have to spend a while re-reading on over what has happened with Soft. I will say now that I don't remember all of it in as stark clarity as I did a while back.
That said...

Soft does feel... dead with how I have read it. Not that she is dead, or that she might not have agency, but that she... She is different. Different in a way that isn't wolf like.
Not that she isn't more wolf like now. Just taking a glance through her meeting with Cantrip and that much is abundantly clear. But she feels...

I am not certain if it is me reading too much into it, there being more important things for Wire/Bird/QM to write about or what, but she feels less than before.
There isn't the hesitation, there isn't the uncertainty, there isn't the quiet embarrassment and the not quite knowing how to treat it that Velvet considers her a daughter.
When Silky calls her sister, she no longer pauses or rolls her eyes, and responds in kind. When around Velvet she doesn't sound as uncertain or worried in her place of things.
Some of this can be attributed to growth, yes. But these changes have only been seen after her resurrection. After there was the wolf.


I.... probably worded it poorly to have it be evocative. Dead may be wrong, but it feels something close.
Who she was is... there, if only just. It feels like Soft is alive insofar only as Velvet thought of her. That means she has some agency yes, but how much is wolf tainted desire and how much is... gegh, how did Baldomare put it to Jade? "With your back towards Glory, but seeing it all the same."
Soft feels like she has agency in the same way. That she has the idea of agency that Velvet gave to her when she was pulled back. That it has the look of it, the face of it, that it has the same motions and actions, but it's... twisted. Bent.

I don't know how to better put it. Feels like Velvet's memory and hopes for Soft piloting her body.
If that's true, I don't know how she'd react to the lores. I don't know if it is Soft fighting against the wolf inside them, or if it is Soft the wolf imitating Soft the pony.
... and if memory serves, I don't believe Velvet has shared with Soft any indication of lore, directly or otherwise. Even when the rest of the family learned, she didn't. And even when it came to Selene, it was separate. It feels like a choice, telling her, that hasn't been given away yet.

Pardon, just... I do not feel there is as much to her there as there once was. I feel it is more the impression Velvet had of Soft.

Click to shrink...

I think you are reading a little strangely into it. Soft isn't acting more comfortably around Velvet and Silky and what-not because she is less, it is because the wolf-part well and truly considers Velvet its Mother. And Soft has always been very loving and loyal to her family. Less subtraction and more cooption. Additionally, having an Edge/Winter battery for a heart is going to make you less hesitant around people simply due to the nature of the Lores involved. And presumably is why she's willing to go around chasing an ornery Snake-Mare in a shouting match.

 

[Random Anon]

I still believe there's still something Moth about all of this. Carving without knowing what. The three Rules. Finally, the fucking Cult leader doesn't know about it.

Given that changes that affect the House also tend to affect reality, could it be a symptom of the Wolf devouring the forest? The Wolf subsuming an aspect of Moth?

Also, funny thought, I'm pretty sure that if Velvet Covers dies and we continue the quest with Soft, it will be the moment she finally awakes.