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Post by Ximea on Jul 3, 2016 15:28:43 GMT
"Where to next?" Steel asked. "Your place, Chiselle?" Chiselle apprehensively bit her bottom lips, "Slow your roll there Dr. Strangelove, how much do you know about these antennas? Are there any side effects? Am I going to teleport to a desert other world? Also, why are you taking advice from a demon? I mean granted I'm not one that should judge, but shouldn't you be taking what a demon says with a grain of salt?" "Shouldn't be any side effects," Steel said. "At least, nothing major. I mean, one time my reflection stayed in the mirror after I walked away, chanting 'M͙̠̺̮͔͞á̲͎̣k̩̹͓̮e҉͕̩̙̤͚̻̮ ̧̘̗̲̫̫̜u̧̞͈̞̼̞̟s͎͇̗̯̣̣ ̙̼̙͟w̱̳̟̣͇̠ͅh̻͚̲̤̼̹̜̕o͏͙̠̻̪̪̦l͔̯̗̞̬e̩̝̘̙̮ͅ a̸̫̫g̛̖̩̭̪̫̖a̜̩̗͡ͅi̮͔͇̮͢n̢̥' for four hours. Seriously distracting. But there probably won't be any teleportation or desert worlds." Steel frowned. "Note to self: build portal to dessert world." Flux's eyes shot open. "YOU!" He ran to Willow. "You are now the booze fairy! Make booze happen!" Willow was a little surprised at the request, but then again, it seemed he really needed a drink. "Well, okay, I'll..." she started, and then saw Steel walk down the road with a few more antennae. "Just a moment," she said, and rushed back to the eccentric scientist. "Mister! Where do you think you're going with those antennas? Do they have anything to do with that odd red-green sky that just happened not too long ago?" "What?" Steel asked. "No, I'm pretty sure that was just coincidence. I mean, how would an antenna do that? It's not like I built - " "D̵͙͈͖ͦ̇ͬ͂̆͊͞è̢̛̬͓̳̥̝͂̓̅ͅ ̴ͥͤ̓̃̽ͪ̓̄̊҉͇̣́u̺̺̤̩̰͈̙̲̽ͫͫͬ͛m̥͈͚̮͚̟̖̳͆͜b̛͔̝͐͒͊̓ͫ̃͘ṙ̵̵̡͙̬̤̄̄ͅȃ̴̧͇͈̘̉ͣ̋̕r̡̹͇̰ͭͣ͗ų̴͕̤͇̗ͣ͗ͩ̐ͬ̄ͩm̧̈́̇͏͇͍̟̬͈̯̟͙ͅ ̠̩̠̝͈̬̤̏ͮ̿̄͋͌͋ͫͅͅr̢̖̟̣̪̜͎̱̙̃ͦ̄̌̀ë͇̞͚̥͛ͪg͖͙̺̻̰͑̾ͪ̾͝͡͡ͅn̷̷̜̹̱̻͈̆̆̓į̛̌͆ͤ̄̀̾ͯ͏̟̦͈͎̝̣̣ ̵̭͙̫̦̥ͬ̑̀͠ͅn̡̗̺̗͉̰̣̮̝̟͑̾o̦̰͚̜̣̟̩̩͑ͨ̏̎͠v̞̻͇̝͎̣̯̘́̊̃̂̇͆̔̂͝eͪ̉͌҉͘҉̟̣̬͓̺͍m̹̤͈͙ͬ̈́̀ͪͨ͢͡ ̘͓͉̈́̐ͅp̧̨͙̬̜̘ͦ̇ǫ̢͉̼̪̖͐͗ͤͮ̀͂͗̽͆r̷̰͚̙̗̃̅͂ͦ̈ͫ͊̌t̡̤͍̥̜̼̰͓̋͊ͧ̍̽̽͘i̸̡͓͈̤̞̘͈̮̲̼̽̃͐ͮş̣̿ͨ̑͋̓̂̎͌͢," one of the antennas muttered. " - whatever he said," Steel finished. He turned toward the devices. "You guys are really talkative for hunks of metal." |
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Post by optineigh on Jul 6, 2016 20:41:12 GMT
Willow was a little surprised at the request, but then again, it seemed he really needed a drink. "Well, okay, I'll..." she started, and then saw Steel walk down the road with a few more antennae. "Just a moment," she said, and rushed back to the eccentric scientist. "Mister! Where do you think you're going with those antennas? Do they have anything to do with that odd red-green sky that just happened not too long ago?" "What?" Steel asked. "No, I'm pretty sure that was just coincidence. I mean, how would an antenna do that? It's not like I built - " "D̵͙͈͖ͦ̇ͬ͂̆͊͞è̢̛̬͓̳̥̝͂̓̅ͅ ̴ͥͤ̓̃̽ͪ̓̄̊҉͇̣́u̺̺̤̩̰͈̙̲̽ͫͫͬ͛m̥͈͚̮͚̟̖̳͆͜b̛͔̝͐͒͊̓ͫ̃͘ṙ̵̵̡͙̬̤̄̄ͅȃ̴̧͇͈̘̉ͣ̋̕r̡̹͇̰ͭͣ͗ų̴͕̤͇̗ͣ͗ͩ̐ͬ̄ͩm̧̈́̇͏͇͍̟̬͈̯̟͙ͅ ̠̩̠̝͈̬̤̏ͮ̿̄͋͌͋ͫͅͅr̢̖̟̣̪̜͎̱̙̃ͦ̄̌̀ë͇̞͚̥͛ͪg͖͙̺̻̰͑̾ͪ̾͝͡͡ͅn̷̷̜̹̱̻͈̆̆̓į̛̌͆ͤ̄̀̾ͯ͏̟̦͈͎̝̣̣ ̵̭͙̫̦̥ͬ̑̀͠ͅn̡̗̺̗͉̰̣̮̝̟͑̾o̦̰͚̜̣̟̩̩͑ͨ̏̎͠v̞̻͇̝͎̣̯̘́̊̃̂̇͆̔̂͝eͪ̉͌҉͘҉̟̣̬͓̺͍m̹̤͈͙ͬ̈́̀ͪͨ͢͡ ̘͓͉̈́̐ͅp̧̨͙̬̜̘ͦ̇ǫ̢͉̼̪̖͐͗ͤͮ̀͂͗̽͆r̷̰͚̙̗̃̅͂ͦ̈ͫ͊̌t̡̤͍̥̜̼̰͓̋͊ͧ̍̽̽͘i̸̡͓͈̤̞̘͈̮̲̼̽̃͐ͮş̣̿ͨ̑͋̓̂̎͌͢," one of the antennas muttered. " - whatever he said," Steel finished. He turned toward the devices. "You guys are really talkative for hunks of metal." Willow was not too impressed with the answer. The fact that the antennas talked meant that there really was something going on. "Well then, what are you doing with those antennas? |
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Post by Ximea on Jul 7, 2016 0:30:33 GMT
"I'm installing them on rooftops all over town!" Steel said happily. He checked his map. "In fact, looks like your house is on the list. Do you have a ladder?"
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Post by optineigh on Jul 7, 2016 8:47:16 GMT
"I'm installing them on rooftops all over town!" Steel said happily. He checked his map. "In fact, looks like your house is on the list. Do you have a ladder?" Willow stood motionless for a moment and blinked. She then suddenly remembered the first encounter with the scientist. He had, in fact, already divulged a lot. "Uh... look, you've got this demon you want to bind to your will, right? A demon, that, as far as I'm concerned, transcends all known bounds of physics and magic? The Princesses down in Canterlot would not make that color sky, and I don't know anyone else that even could. And then those eyes in the sun... don't you realize what danger you're putting Equestria into with this? I just can't let anyone put talking antennas on my house--or anypony else's--without knowing just why you want to bind this demon to your will. What's it a demon of? Does it need to be controlled? How can you assure it's going to be bound? At this rate you're exposing yourself to strict liability for something so abnormally dangerous." |
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Post by Ximea on Jul 8, 2016 1:09:46 GMT
Steel scoffed. "There's no danger. It's just a harmless incantation in the Black Tongue, whispered into the secret hum beneath the universe." He continued to carry the antenna down the road. "As for Belphegor, he's the demonic lord of discovery and ingenious invention. He also offered to pilot the de-winterizer, which would free up a lot of time for me to finish side projects like my interdimensional portal and my portable sun." He thought again about the dessert world.
A thought suddenly occurred to Steel. "I suppose he doesn't need to be controlled. He was doing just fine before." Then he smiled. "But there's no reason not to put a safeguard in place, right?"
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Post by optineigh on Jul 8, 2016 5:13:34 GMT
"So he himself isn't dangerous... if you say so..." said Willow. She was just about to turn and leave, but his other devices troubled her. "Wait, a de-winterizer? A portable sun? Do you have a weather license? Does the Greater Smoky Mountains Weather Commission know about your devices?"
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Post by Ximea on Jul 11, 2016 22:45:20 GMT
"Weather licenses are for weather pegasi," Steel said, waving a hoof dismissively. "And yes, the Weather Commission knows about the de-winterizer - I tried to sell them one, a few months back." His expression darkened, and he stared into the distance. "They called me mad. Those shortsighted fools..." Under his breath, he added, "I'll show them. I'll show them all. We'll see who laughs when I - "
The group had come to a fork in the road. "I forget, is your place to the left or to the right?" Steel asked.
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Post by optineigh on Jul 14, 2016 5:45:21 GMT
"Weather licenses are for weather pegasi," Steel said, waving a hoof dismissively. "And yes, the Weather Commission knows about the de-winterizer - I tried to sell them one, a few months back." His expression darkened, and he stared into the distance. "They called me mad. Those shortsighted fools..." Under his breath, he added, "I'll show them. I'll show them all. We'll see who laughs when I - " The group had come to a fork in the road. "I forget, is your place to the left or to the right?" Steel asked. Willow blinked. Weather licenses were intended for weather pegasi, yes, but they were meant so nopony would obstruct and interfere with their weather duties. It was even more fundamental to an orderly society than her own licenses to practice law and serve intoxicating beverages. "Uh... it's to the left," she replied, sighing. "Okay, I'll let you install that antenna on my house. But if you ever use that de-winterizer or portable sun again, or do anything else to the sky that you have no privilege to do, I will report you straight to the Weather Bureau in Canterlot." She then turned around and headed straight back to Flux's shop, seeing him still seated on the ground. "Do you still want a drink?" |
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Post by Ximea on Jul 14, 2016 23:54:38 GMT
"Great!" Steel said, and he trotted off happily, antennas in tow.
A little later, he arrived at his destination and made his way to the roof. With a little work, he affixed the antenna in place and switched it on.
Nothing happened.
Steel frowned, and gave the antenna a knock with his hoof.
The antenna s̳͕͖̣̪̹̥̯̽̄ͦͮ͂̈ͣ̎͆́c̰͎̲̪̽ͪ̋̂ͨ̾̑̅r̀̊̒̀̓ͧ̉͏͚̳͢͞ȩ̵̹͍̝͎̦͔̝̐ͥͩͣ̚ạ͈̖͙̖͓̟̎̍͜m̳̖̭̓͛̎ͧͨ̈͟ͅĕ̡̫̹͓̠ͩ̎̆ͧ̊̇͂͞dͪ̅̒̎̚̕͏̟͉̪.
For a moment, the sky - the entire sky, from horizon to horizon - was made of eyes and mouths and long, slimy tentacles. Thousands, millions, seething, writhing, dripping, pulsing, undulating in ways that triggered primordial and nameless terrors that rose from the bottom of the soul. The air buzzed with a sound like a trillion locusts; the noise rose and fell in rhythmic double-bursts, like a heartbeat. The sun began to hatch.
But it was just for a moment.
Steel glanced up at Celestia's yellow sun, framed in a perfect sapphire sky among fluffy white clouds. He grunted. "That was weird. Must've been gas." He came down from the roof and levitated a map in front of him. "Where to next? Chiselle's house looks close."
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Post by Wilgrove on Jul 16, 2016 15:39:40 GMT
Chiselle blinked a few times and then shook her head, again. "Hey, Dr. Steel, mind if I see one of those antennas for a second?"
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Post by Ximea on Jul 17, 2016 4:28:50 GMT
"Huh?" Steel had not realized Chiselle was following him. He waved a hoof. "Knock yourself out. Don't worry if you accidentally break one; they seem to replicate similarly to cell division." He checked his map, and pointed down the road. "You live that way, right? You get one of these too, according to the map."
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Post by Quandarm on Jul 17, 2016 8:18:31 GMT
She then turned around and headed straight back to Flux's shop, seeing him still seated on the ground. "Do you still want a drink?" Flux rubbed the bridge of his snout. "You know what? Yeah. If you've got something, now would be a good time." He motioned for her to follow him back to the shop. "All I wanted to do today was fix a carriage. Now we've got some kind of eldritch horror going on." |
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Post by Wilgrove on Jul 17, 2016 18:15:10 GMT
"Huh?" Steel had not realized Chiselle was following him. He waved a hoof. "Knock yourself out. Don't worry if you accidentally break one; they seem to replicate similarly to cell division." He checked his map, and pointed down the road. "You live that way, right? You get one of these too, according to the map." " Right..." Chiselle dropped back to Coin, "Hey boss, you got any silver and matches on you?" |
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Post by lessernaboo on Jul 17, 2016 20:49:30 GMT
"Huh?" Steel had not realized Chiselle was following him. He waved a hoof. "Knock yourself out. Don't worry if you accidentally break one; they seem to replicate similarly to cell division." He checked his map, and pointed down the road. "You live that way, right? You get one of these too, according to the map." " Right..." Chiselle dropped back to Coin, "Hey boss, you got any silver and matches on you?" "Of course." Coin had come prepared to deal with infernal entities. She gave Chiselle some of her demon hunting gear. |
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Post by optineigh on Jul 18, 2016 6:10:10 GMT
She then turned around and headed straight back to Flux's shop, seeing him still seated on the ground. "Do you still want a drink?" Flux rubbed the bridge of his snout. "You know what? Yeah. If you've got something, now would be a good time." He motioned for her to follow him back to the shop. "All I wanted to do today was fix a carriage. Now we've got some kind of eldritch horror going on." "I'll be watching that fellow. He told me that demon's mostly harmless, but with what went up in the sky I can't be too sure. I'm more afraid of him, frankly," said Willow. She followed the unicorn into the shop. "I'm guessing you want me to prepare something from your stock..." she said, as she opened up a cabinet and found a couple of bottles. "Let's see, gin, whiskey... I can make you a smoky maretini and just charge you for service." |
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