Illiad Easle

@Scar Blu was less than pleased with Cali's rude awakening. He was mostly awake when she disappeared the chair, but still stumbled into the grass. "We here already? I guess that was much easier than walking." He would look around the area, "So, what are we looking for?"

@Scar Blu would have fallen asleep by the time they arrived, having grown used to the sensation enough to be comfortable enough to sleep. While it wasn't the best sleep he had had, it was much better than his night on the couch.

@Scar Blu was quick to fix his attention forward once he saw that the back of the helicopter had gone missing. As long as he couldn't see the hole he could suppress his fear of being sucked out of it. He was about to confirm verbally that he understood, but decided to err on the side of caution and simply nod to indicate he understood. He was sure Cali could notice if she cared enough to. He would spare a look out at the passing landscape every so often, building up his tolerance to the sight as they went as he figured they would be taking a similar method to return after they had gathered everything they needed from the door.

@Blitz Boom (np) Things were odd in response to her words. The screen froze up as it tried to formulate a response, the sprite glitched, quickly flipping through all the emotions it could display, which was an impressive quantity. Eventually a small error appeared in the text box: "Error in dialResp: Error in Lookup: Error in SoftMemory: Entry "Changeling" not found. Could not Load. Could not formulate response." The error was visible only for a moment before the screen went black, then the scene appeared again as it was when she most recently entered the backstage. There was a new message on the center of the screen, "The Microphone is a work in progress and cannot respond to made up or nonsense words. Try to use simple language to not upset the program." It looked like the machine didn't know what changelings were, or at least didn't know how to deal with a reference to them. (Troy) They all seemed pleased by the varieties of food mentioned by Void, they looked quite amazed to discover that so many different kinds of food existed. (Banana bread often calls for overripe bananas, at least the bread my family makes) As Void mentioned the mosaic they turned their attention towards it and were amazed, Teal, Toupé, and Elef went over to inspect it more closely while Ardee kept an eye on the foals who had taken to playing with the empty bowls. Vale went over with them to point out the lizard type creature, "This is what she was talking about. Lizards, or reptiles as they are more generally called, are characterized by being covered with scales instead of fur, these scales act like a thin coat of armor as well as regulating and absorbing heat as they don't produce as much heat internally as we do. Dragons, like Void said, have a large variety in size, baby dragons can be as small as foals like Peal and Piecey, and can grow to hundreds of lengths long over the course of their lives. Some dragons are violent, but most young dragons, especially those that live in cities, are much more even tempered." Toupé asked, "Are they smart? Like ponies are?" Vale nodded, "Some even smarter. Dragons are typically characterized as hoarders, most hoarding gold or food, but here are some who decided to hoard knowledge, becoming very intelligent in the process." Pen added, "Just because they aren't ponies doesn't mean they're all that different on the inside. They're just one of the many different kinds of creatures out there that, although they look different, they're the same as us on the inside." While the others were occupied by the spontaneous lesson, Ardee turned her attention back to Void, "So, what happens now? What do we do now?" she sighed, "It's... it's been a long time since we weren't busy all the time. After Mistress we were constantly on guard, watching to make sure that no monsters got to us, before her it was always one exam to another. What now though? If we're not being studied or guarding, what do we do?"

@Catpone Cerberus Ætheron was surprised by Ædriga's courage, he hadn't expected her to take the lead, especially on this sort of thing, but he wasn't going to let her go it alone. He stowed away his pole-arm to pull out his longbow. "Careful, no touch creature, dangerous maybe." There was a sort of aura of terror around the creature, which would get stronger the closer they got to it. It would reach another clearing before they could get close enough to think about attacking, it moved surprisingly fast for a creature that looked like it was made of tar. The screams from the clearing confirmed that the creature had been following after something, likely the rest of the group that had escaped the first attack. These screams seemed to help Ætheron overcome the terror imposed by the creature. He stood tall to fire on the creature before moving around to flank it like they had with the manticore before. The creature didn't seem to notice that it had been struck with an arrow.

@Scar Blu wasn't surprised that she didn't make a full interior, there were a few different reasons why she might do that, she may not have really seen the interior of a helicopter before, or it may have required too much concentration or energy to generate what was effectively superfluous. Blu nodded once he was inside, "This will work nicely, enough of a separation mentally from what is effectively the same thing. Anything I can do to help? Or at least not make it more difficult for you?"

@Scar The creature would smell no different than the ooze, likely due to being covered in it. Ætheron was a bit confused by what Ædriga was trying to convey, but looked in the direction she pointed and shuddered, "That... that isn't what I was expecting to find." Ætheron took a defensive stance but the creature just laughed soundlessly before it turned away to continue its path northward, carving a path through the woods as it killed everything it came in contact with. "That must be what they meant by Nightmare Tyrant, I can see why." He looked unsure as he turned to spare a glance towards Ædriga, "We follow? Fight?..." Inwardly Ætheron knew there wasn't really a choice.

@Scar Blu sighed, "If it can't be avoided. Though actually, since you've already demonstrated you can be a helicopter, any reason who we couldn't do that instead of wings? I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter."

@Scar Blu nodded, "Agreed, he was always a roadblock to my progress. If she hadn't stepped in... I might have finally had the childhood that I had been robbed of twice over. Instead she stole it from me for the third time. While I don't look forward to being thrice orphaned, it seems a necessity if things are to be made right." He'd look around again, "Not to be that guy, but how much further do we have to go?"

@Randimaxis It wasn't overtly obvious to Redd when he returned to his room, but someone had been through his things. Redd didn't know it but he was immensely lucky that he had taken the knife with him when he went to the theater. Redd might notice that some of his things were out of place, but nothing was missing, and it could reasonably be explained as housekeeping having been through while he was gone. If that didn't stop him from going on to the Silverhoof theater, he'd be able to arrive without incident, though if he were particularly observant as he traveled he'd notice as he passed a certain alley a pair of stallions getting beaten down by a slightly larger stallion. The stallion would look out of the alley at Redd, nod, and return to beating on the pair. Soon enough Redd would reach the gates of the Silverhoof Theater, a guard opened the gate for him as he approached with a nod, "The Lord is expecting you, go on in Sir." The grounds themselves were empty outside some sparse shrubs, the theater itself was an older style building, ornately carved of grey and black wood and wrought iron filigree. It was an imposing structure that was refined in its own right. Inside the main hall there was a cool warmth that quickly cleared the chill from the winter air without, Filigree Silverhoof was standing in the hall speaking with an actor when Redd entered, "Ah, there he is now." The two of them approached Redd, both nodding once they had entered social distance, "You normally go by Redd correct? This is Dramaturge," Filigree motioned to the actor, who bowed, "They'll be in charge of ensuring that your acting is perfect for the play. They are the best in the business, as who better to teach acting than one whose whole existence relies on their ability to fill a role." In a burst of red fire the actor was replaced by a dark black changeling with red accents, they had a rather smug expression at the end of their reveal, but Filigree continued, "I understand you may have some hesitation working with a changeling, but I assure you Dramaturge is harmless, mostly. I trust them with my life." Dramaturge nodded again, they spoke with a perfectly androgynous voice, "I look forward to working with you, my Lord sees great promise in you, which is a high honor, I look forward to helping you reveal your true potential. If you would follow me," Dramaturge would turn to lead the way through the theater onto one of the stages and would wait for Redd to get his bearings on the situation.

@Randimaxis True enough, Impundulu had not the slightest clue as to what Cappy had planned, but if there was something it had learned during it's thousand years in space, it was restraint. Impundulu hadn't sought out the hat for power, it could have just as easily grabbed anyone nearby and bent them to call the rain. Cappy was a tool of convenience, and nothing more. When a suitable host had been found Cappy would be returned, no sooner, no later. As soon as the clouds were coming in Impundulu stopped the draw on the magic, it hadn't used much more than a unicorn would have used to levitate a heavy book. It turned to watch the reactions around the quarry, it saw Chuck, and was intrigued. He feared, but it wasn't the rain. He feared what the rain would do. He seemed one who understood what good and harm the weather could do, and seemed pragmatic enough to side as Impundulu preferred: One who would seek to maximise the weather's benefit and minimise the harm. Further, he was the only one who had any sort of notable reaction. Impundulu flew down from the smokestack into the cave that Chuck was headed towards, it would hide out of sight of the others, but do it's best to attract Chuck's attention, enticing him to come close enough that they could be alone.

@Randimaxis Oracle picked up on his mixture of emotion and looked a bit down, "I... I know it's nothing like how ponies make more ponies. To be fair... I suppose I was just as, if not more, uncomfortable learning about how that works than you are now." There was a bit of a sad smile as she shook her head, "No, there's no caverns like this in the San Palomino, which is why Mother is the only queen in this area, besides Queens tending to keep their distance. No, I've been raised in preparation to be one of the first queens in Cervidas, specifically in Zebrica, that's why I pretend to be a zebra on the surface. I've been trained since emergence on Zebra culture and the like so I can have the best possible chance of a successful insertion once a good hive location is discovered. But even if I can't find a good cave we're pretty great diggers, maybe not as fast as Diamond Dogs, but our networks tend to last longer." She seemed sad about her destiny, there was a certain longing in her gaze that Dax would have to be blind to not notice. Oracle shook herself from her ponderings as Dax's question, "Oh? It depends really on the state of the hive. A hive tends to have three main phases: The Start, where it's just the queen and a few changeling defenders from their mother to get started, the first few batches are small, one two or three are common as the emotional mixes are tried to see what works best given what is in abundance in the area. You don't want a full batch based off an emotion that was running high because of a certain event to have it die out over time, but you also can't wait a full year to start producing or you risk failing to fully insert in the area. Once the hive's core emotions are established the hive enters the Expansion hive where the queen focuses on getting as many changelings gestating as possible, this is easiest if the changelings born in the start have matured enough to gather energy on their own so the queen can focus on producing, I think then the queen can make up to two dozen eggs in a batch? They use much larger cocoons than these for that. Once the hive has expanded far enough that they reach... about 5 to 10 percent of the total population of their area, the hive goes to Homeostasis, the queen reduces production to replace deaths and keep up with the growth rate to maintain proportionality with the populous, about a half dozen to a batch. Occasionally they may need to go back to Expansion in the case of a major tragedy or explosive growth in the area, but those cases are rare." "Thankfully rare, Expansion is a real hornache." Oracle looked surprised and turned around to find that her mother, had come up behind them with a bit of a coy smile. Permu looked to Dax with a curious expression, "How are you enjoying our city? I've heard from my guards that you've been a wonderful source of awe and respect thus far, perhaps we should start offering guided tours to our trusted guests. If they're even half as well cultivated as you we'd hardly need to extract from the surface." Oracle seemed relieved that her mother wasn't angry at her. Permu moved over to caress one of the cocoons with a loving expression, "You were telling him about how we reproduce weren't you?" Oracle stumbled a bit, "W...well, more like the logistics surrounding it, not the process itself." Permu looked back at Dax with a penetrating stare, seeming to evaluate him similar to how she had stared him down in the office at the bank. She soon nodded with a smile, "Would you like to see for yourself?"

@Catpone Cerberus Focusing her senses, Ædriga would take notice of a shadowy figure standing at the north end of the trail of ooze. The creature looked about the size and shape of a pony, but taller (about alicorn in height), it had piercing red eyes as it looked back at Ædriga. This creature seemed made of the ooze that formed the trail, the ooze seemed to drip off of it as it stood in the shadows on the edge of the clearing. Ætheron didn't notice this creature, as he turned to Ædriga, "Do you see something?"

@Blitz Boom (np) The sprite she was talking to smiled, "Thank you! It certainly looked like everyone enjoyed it, we've been practicing for ages to get it just right and it looks like it all payed off." The sprite looked contemplative, "Did you notice anything we could improve? We're doing this show a few more times this week, and we want to make sure it's the best it can be." There were some default options that had some minor criticisms, one that said you didn't notice anything the could improve, and the microphone. (Troy) They ate with earnest, though a bit more relaxed than the night before, they seemed to be taking the time to enjoy the food rather than just eat it. The foals of course were a bit messier about it than before, and seemed to start enjoying the yogurt after a bit of initial opposition. The young ponies all looked towards Ardee with a slight bit of discomfort at her line of questioning, and she herself looked a bit taken aback by it, but worked to reassure them, "This isn't a study. She just wants to know what we like so she can make things we would like, right?" she looked back at Void with a somewhat piercing gaze. (Assuming Void aggrees) Ardee would look back at the others with a smile, "See? Just like Mistress did, remember?" The others nodded and turned their attention back to Void as they thought how to respond. They seemed unsure as to what order they should respond in, If Void stepped in to ask individually they would respond in her order, otherwise Ardee would impose the order listed below: Elef: "I liked the salty and earthy tastes, the yogurt was really good. Um, it might not be popular with the others and I understand if you don't know how to make it, but I would like to try more meats, rather than just the stuff I can hunt." Teal: "I liked the salty and earthy, I think I'd like to try some more stuff like that. I liked the bred when we first started eating it, are there other breads than what the bowl makes?" Peal (via Teal): "She seems to really like the strawberries, so maybe other soft sweet things?" Toupé: "Can't say I much like sweet things... too overpowering, the nuts were nice, I'd like to try things like those if I could." Piecey (via Toupé): "She was more than happy with the yogurt, so I think she likes sour things like that, are there other kinds of yogurt?" Ardee: "It was all the same to me, nothing you've brought so far have tasted bad, so if it's good for the rest it'll be good for me." They shook their heads 'no', but they seemed interesting in trying it. They seemed confused at the name, Ardee spoke up, "Is that a kind of pony? I don't think we ever saw one in the facility, and I don't recall any of the researchers talking about dragons."

@Scar Blu nodded, "Very different worlds then, Scientists had always suspected there might be alternate universes, discovering it was supposed to be some great achievement, not so..." he thought for a moment before motioning around, "Mundane?" He picked up that she didn't seem too believing, and shrugged, "Is it too far a stretch that if there are multiple earths there could be multiple equestrias? Still, I'm not surprised, Princess Sparkle didn't believe me either until... " he paused, seeming to realize something, "After a trip to the Crystal Empire... she was telling her friends about this place she had seen in a magic mirror... the ponies on my earth said there was a mirror on the other end of their portal..." He smacked himself in the face, "How did I not see it sooner?! There's some sort of portal in the Crystal Empire!" He chuckled, "We'll have to go check it out once we've taken care of Princess Sparkle."

@Scar Blu looked curious, "Texas? Last I heard Texas was just a state, didn't even cover half of the gulf. But things may have changed since I left. Things were getting rather hectic with the discovery of a new set of sentient creatures and the whole existence of magic and all that." An idea struck him with a smile, "There was a Sombra there too, he became some big crime boss before... well, reverting to a pony, he was running for some political office when I left."

@Scar Blu shrugged, "Can't say I know exactly what happened, I was on my way to deliver... well it doesn't matter, and I got jumped by some goons. Next thing I knew I was in the middle of a dark forest, and a small blue unicorn. It wasn't as surprising as it could have been though, there were ponies on my earth, they had only started appearing... oh about 5 years before I got here, so I understood the basics on arrival, but this world is different from the one the ponies back home described." He didn't comment on her second statement outside of, "Could we keep moving? This doesn't look like a good place to spend the night." After a bit he would ask, "So, born on earth, as a human I presume, when did you become a sentient cloud?"

@Scar Blu was, truthfully, relieved, "Hence you see why I want what the door has, maybe it's got something I can use. While magic is certainly a major plus being a pony does still have its drawbacks. Mostly because when I arrived, oh four or 5 years ago, my body was that much younger. I was twenty five when I left earth and got here stuck in the body of a fourteen year old... or equivalent as time and age don't seem to pass the same way they did back home." He motioned out to the world, "Where you see cuddly, I see opportunity. There are a few ponies out there who aren't afraid to take advantage, to empower themselves, they make the mistake of going public, getting noticed. Still, sometimes it's the simple pleasures that bring the most joy. But those can wait until Princess Sparkle sees what I'm truly capable of."

@Scar Blu looked genuinely surprised, "I guess I should have expected something like that, but it just proves you've been to earth, or at least have a general idea of what a human is." He stowed his glove away before looking Cali over, "You look, what, early to mid twenties?" He shrugged, "I'd show you what I looked like, but I can't transform like you can. Been stuck like this since I got here."

@Scar Blu rolled his eyes with a bit of a smirk, "I mean, I pretty much told you but still. I'm sure you're smart enough to figure out how I know about that very old meme." To be honest he hadn't thought about helisexuals in a very long time, there wasn't exactly much here to remind him of that joke. He pulled out one of his gloves, wiggling the fingers, "Why do you think I carry these around everywhere?"

(Wouldn't count on it) @Scar Blu stopped and sighed deeply, "You sexually identify as an attack helicopter..." He looked back up at Cali with a tired expression, "Looks like you were in my world at some point then, or a world similar to it. Though I guess saying that does give me away a bit." He considered explaining, but he figured he'd see how she reacted before potentially giving away too much information.

@Catpone Cerberus Ætheron felt good going quickly for once, he hadn't had a chance to really run like this in a while, not since... well, before he had first become an adventurer. Having Ædriga running beside him further encouraged him to pick up the pace, depending on Ædriga's ability he might even reach his top speed (about twice as fast as a pony) before slowing down as they approached the clearing they had left the ponies in. Before they reached the clearing a few of the ponies they had left came running at them with frantic expressions, both groups stopped before running into each other, "You're back! Oh thank the mother you're back! I was worried we might not find you!" Ætheron was instantly concerned, "What's wrong? Did something happen?" The mare at the front of the group started to cry, "The Nightmare Tyrant, she... she found us. We barely escaped! But..." Ætheron lowered himself to better console the mare, "Everything will be alright, focus on getting yourself and anyone you can find to Ponyville." he pointed the way he had come, "They'll keep you safe." He stood back up, "We'll take care of this tyrant." The small group nodded in thanks to the both of them before they started running towards Ponyville. Ætheron proceeded forward with haste, but caution, holding his polearm at the ready as they approached the clearing. There were a few small fires around the clearing, several of the surrounding trees were damaged or broken, one had been wholly uprooted. There were a few scattered piles of ashes and most notably there was a trail of some sort of dried ooze, all the plants within a few inches of the ooze were dead or looked withered. Ætheron scooped a small bit of one of the ash piles and tossed it in one of the small fires, the flames took on a distinct purple hue for about a minute before returning to normal. "Changelings, I had suspected as much." He looked at the path of death, it ran about due north/south. He dropped a flower on the ooze and it immediately withered upon contact with the ooze. He made sure to draw Ædriga's attention to the ooze and the flower, "Don't touch, very bad."

@Scar Blu would watch intently as Cali started to transform, "Of course, I would hardly think to tell anyone, I hardly have anyone to tell anyway." He briefly considered taking some sort of notes on the occurrence, but decided that would pose a risk of the info getting out, and what he needed to know about her he should be able to remember anyway.

@Scar Blu nodded, "That does make sense, of the two that I know this one is much calmer. If I'm correct in guessing that moving to a new world is a somewhat blind jump it further would encourage you to stay in a safe world rather than risk jumping to a much more dangerous one. Still, that doesn't explain why you care so much about Princess Sparkle, do you have some history with her or something?"

@Scar Blu looked intrigued, "Well then, I hope one day you feel like sharing more about that then, it sounds like it would be quite illuminating to listen to. Though it does beg the question... if you've been to so many worlds, and I assume that means you have the ability to travel between them, why would you stay here when you despise Princess Sparkle so much? Wouldn't it be simpler to simply go to another world and leave her behind you? She seems, if I'm being honest, beneath you to be concerned with."