Illiad Easle

@Skylight Scintillate Nova would accept the hug but brush off the comment hat anything was wrong, "I'm fine, she's just... important." Starlight smiled, "I'm sure it will be a good one whatever it is. The Wonderbolts are the fancy flying team that Canterlot has right? Do you really like flying? Oh! Has Nova taken you flying through the trees yet? It's much harder than flying through the air since there's all the branches in the way, but it's really cool with all the shimmerwood trees." Starlight seemed all the more impressed that Speckle actually got to talk to the princess, "You get to talk to her? And not just, listen to her? Princess Sparkle I would have guessed, I mean, she hasn't come here, but I've heard that she's a bit more friendly than the others, but talking with Princess Luna!? Like, how we're talking now!? What was it like!!? What did you talk about!!?"It seemed this was a topic she was particularly interested in. While Nova had shown a fair amount of respect and reverence for the princess, Starlight seemed to have a much stronger fascination for her. Starlight looked shocked, "Oh no! Were they mean to you? That's not good. The Fastar clan is supposed to be inclusive, welcoming. Being mean to outsiders only makes cooperation harder in the long run, that's..." She looked around before leaning in closer to speak to the two of them quietly, "You didn't hear it from me, but that's what collapsed the Obelisk clan, they drove off any potential allies and had no one to help them when their crops went bad." Nova looked thoughtful at that, and was starting to warm up to actually talking with Starlight rather than treat her like he would an authority figure.

@Skylight Scintillate Sorry for the delay, still trying to work out how best to progress the story. I should have a response finished tomorrow.

@Blitz Boom (Null & Cherish) In fact, if she were looking, it would seem as though his trail were actually growing lighter as he sat there, though why that could be was unclear at this time. Maybe Nine would know? Regardless, she had more pressing matters at the moment. There was enough reason for him to hesitate, just for a moment, but he didn't put the knife down or take his eyes off of Elef, who hadn't moved despite the intrusion. "I'm not making the same mistake twice. You told me he killed Rare. If he didn't, then who did?" "No, I... I killed her, it's my fault." Elef spoke with tired certainty, very much believing he had done it. "I must have, I'm a monster." Null felt a bit of extra cold despite the chill of her vengeful cloak, like someone with freezing hooves was pressing against her. Nine spoke up, 'I think that's the ghost there, trying to get inside. There is a spirit here, once quite vengeful. I'll see what it wants.' There was a moment of quiet before Null spoke again, 'It claims to be Rare, the filly that Elef was with before. It says that Elef didn't kill her, that she died on the sharp rocks by accident, but she thought that Elef had bitten her.' 'It seems that Elef believes himself responsible too, what a strange case... Regardless, the spirit now wants Elef spared. I'm not a practiced necromancer, so I can't tell if the spirit is speaking truthfully, nor do I know what Arcade or Elef will believe, but it seems... plausible.' Arcade still seemed to be psyching himself up to do what he believed needed to be done, and Elef was still resigned to that outcome. Null would have to speak carefully to diffuse the situation. And quickly, as the noise from the tunnel was growing closer. (Void) (I meant that Crow was the source of the noise for the other section, but that is still good to know.) She cleared the tunnel that Elef had dug, but the original tunnel was still too small for her to pass through, so she'd have to widen that too. Still, she was making progress, and there was noise up ahead which probably meant that they weren't dead in there. Probably. (Ranger) Ranger would turn once jumped on by Speck, given the paper fox was gripping her a bit stronger than usual as it hid from Kozue, "Hey you two, stop it! You'll bring more of the monsters our way." She would turn to Kozue, "I told you that thing might be dangerous, and it clearly is if it's got you so riled up now that you don't have it." She didn't understand how important it was to him, how could she? She was just a clone of a pony who'd never been all that bright to begin with. How could she possibly understand? No pony could, much less the malformed replacement of a pony. (The hostile interna monologue might give him pause to reflect, that maybe he is being influenced. It wouldn't be unheard of for a kitsune trap to drive one to obsession in order to distract them from finding whatever they weren't supposed to find. Had he fallen into a trap?) She turned to Speck as well, "You shouldn't steal, not from Kozue, not from anyone. If you're hungry or need something I can get it for you, if you just take things it could get you or I into trouble. What if that picture is cursed? You could end up spreading it around or carrying it with you like you did that rune for Basher." Bah, she'd forgotten to feed Speck before, she'd surely do it again. Speck had to be smart, store food. Right? Given the limited mental capacity of the paper fox, the effects wore off much faster than for Kozue. (Grey) Flying up to the top they'd see the penthouse surrounded in a magical dome, which is how they had previously kept the pegasi from simply crashing the party before. Usually though, it wasn't so bright. It would seem that something had strengthened it, or the repeated bashing against it by many of the pegasi from the event was causing it to revel itself more plainly. Through the barrier though, they could see several pegasi moving about suspiciously, touching things, moving things, it looked like they were trying to find the source of the shield to disable it. Clearly there were a number of agents on the inside. Maybe this wasn't so poorly planned an assault as they had thought? Going for the windows below the dome revealed similar protection runes, the windows would not break from the outside, they would need someone on the inside to open them. 'Keep your focus on Red, at least until the shield fails. Agents inside are moving to secure the Host.' Red wouldn't be hard to find, having apparently gotten used to her new wings she hovered above the top of the tower watching the others work on breaking the shield. If he had been to the party before, he would know that it was about time for the dancefloor. Even if he hadn't, that seemed to be where the flow of ponies was headed. On the band stage a pegasus was setting up a DJ deck while another ran cables up to the speakers and lights above the floor. The Host was on the mic while the floor was crowded, but the time dilation enchantment wasn't running yet. So he could cross the floor without strangeness. There was no sign of Ninja though. He could make it to the Host, but what would he say or do? Even from here the Host seemed a bit... intoxicated. The undisguised changelings would find the situation in the air precarious, as a few pegasi broke off from attacking the dome to make strafing runs at them. They wouldn't pursue, but it seemed they had orders to attack anyone getting too close.

@Blitz Boom (Null & Cherish) Elef stopped when Null spoke, "Go on then, I deserve it." He turned to face Null, it was clear from his expression that he had given up. His fur was matted from the tears, but it seemed like he had run out, and the sadness was replaced with just being tired. Cherish would feel a chill, both from the cold ground and from the ghostly filly reentering her body. She started to move, but paused at the pain. Cherish could feel the recognition that the ghostly filly had towards the injuries, they felt... familiar. Cherish felt a foreign ache, similar punctures and cuts from the rocks, but in different places. Rather than grazing her whither, it felt as though one had punctured her neck, but at the same time not. Cherish felt the memory that she had been shown before, with Elef standing over her as she turned to run, or as the filly had turned to run. The pain she had felt, that she had been so sure as to the source of, was the same that Cherish now felt. 'He... he didn't...' Neither would have much time to react before the noise approaching from the tunnel grew, and Arcade entered the cavern. Breathing heavily, covered in all manner of stains from the trip, but he was ready to act. Where Null had hesitated, wanted to show mercy, Arcade was decisive. He wouldn't let another one fall. Null could see the conflict still present within him, he didn't want to have to kill Elef, but he accepted it as his responsibility. There was a bit of shame and anger there too. He didn't waste effort on words, once he saw where Elef was, he was moving, knife ready. "He didn't hurt me." The words were faint, coming from Cherish's lips, whether it was the ghost speaking through her or Cherish speaking to her own account, was unknown. Null was caught in the middle, if she didn't act fast, Arcade would finish what he had come here to do. (Void) Crow would be given instructions on where to go to start digging, which would increase the tunnel noise in the cavern. It would take some time to dig the tunnel wide enough. (Ranger) Despite putting the photo somewhere he thought secure, he found himself checking its location compulsively, and as such would notice when it wasn't there pretty quickly after Speck had nicked it. His influenced reaction would depend on how arrogant he was naturally. If he was particularly arrogant, he would believe that he didn't actually need the picture in order to continue his quest, and so would let the picture go for now in order to focus on escaping. He would be able to find it again later if he needed it. If, however, he wasn't particularly arrogant, he would believe that the picture was crucial to his efforts. And as such, the paper fox was a thief, an active agent working against his efforts, and should be dealt with immediately. Destroying it wasn't out of the question, he had to be sure that it wouldn't hinder his plans in the future after all, and besides, he could always make another one for Ranger. Maybe even a better one once he found the ancient one and learned their secrets? As for Speck, even if it had seen the picture it wouldn't have much effect. Speck didn't have the mental capacity to hold an obsession, so the picture could only serve as a particularly enticing source of food. In fact, why shouldn't it just eat the picture? It would need the strength for the fight coming up. Or, perhaps it was best stored for later? Maybe there would be a stronger monster later, or Ranger would forget to feed it again? Yes, it was best if it was kept safe, somewhere where they couldn't take it. Leaving it behind just didn't feel right... Depending on the outcome of the above interactions with the picture, Ranger may be on her own against the monster, if Speck and Kozue were too busy fighting over possession. Whether assisted or not, Ranger would make short work of the first monster with her bow, not even noticing if they were behind her or not. "This would have been really useful before. Let's keep moving." There would be the sound of more monsters moving their way, and it would only be then that she would turn to see if the other two were coming, or if she would have to break up the fight. (Grey) Red wouldn't pursue them after they fell through the clouds, at least not that they could tell. Maybe she was satisfied with just scaring them off? Still, the distant sounds of fighting were apparent, and flashes of light from the top of the tower seemed irregular compared to how the party usually went. They of course knew what was going on, but the locals were starting to worry as well. It was a mess at the base of the tower, a large crowd crushing the door more than usual as one of the bouncers, a pegasus, was waving everyone through. They could see the other bouncer laying unconscious nearby. "Go on in, free party tonight! Everyone is invited inside tonight!" This served the dual purpose of causing more pandemonium outside, as well as blocking off the elevator as an access point to the penthouse. They would need another way up. Mongoose had already been dispatched to the Stacked Deck once the event had kicked off, and so had been able to beat the crush on the doors. He would arrive at the penthouse to find the party mostly proceeding as usual, depending on if he knew what usual meant, but he could see a number of pegasi posing in more official roles that seemed out of place. Nothing was obviously going on inside the penthouse, at least not any obvious fighting just yet. Maybe he could find something first? Or forewarn those in charge? Those responding to her call would find themselves similarly hindered in their efforts to enter the tower, given how many ponies were trying to get in. Some would eventually make it through the press and the long elevator ride, but it would take time.

@Skylight Scintillate Starlight looked excited about that, "Ooh Canterlot, that's a long way from here! I know there's a good number of thestrals from our clan living there as they work in the Equestrian guard under Princess Luna." She looked a bit disappointed, "I wish I could meet her, my father has, but he says they only talk about business and about the guards." She perked up, "But you live there, have you ever gotten to meet her? What's she like?" Nova would confirm that he was from the other Fastar colony, and that Speckle was here as part of a cultural exchange. He seemed oddly reserved, almost reverent? towards Starlight. It was similar to how he had acted when they had dinner with Princess Luna back in Canterlot. Was Starlight someone important? Starlight nodded, "It's the founding story of our clan! I know the historian tells it way better, she's got props and costumes and all that, but I'll do my best. If you come back again during the founding anniversary, maybe you could see the full version? Anyway," She steadied herself to tell the story. "Over 200 years ago, there was no Fastar clan. And the number of thestrals and thestral clans were dwindling. They had been on the decline ever since Princess Luna's banishment. Many clans had disbanded, or had been pushed out of their land and homes by the ponies. The Whitetail clan, which the Whitetail Woods are named after, had once been a powerful clan, trading wood from the forest and growing their own food. After Princess Luna's banishment, Equestria claimed the land and the forest from the clan piece by piece, boxing them in. A bunch of bad ponies, the Whitetail Wood & Paper Company, harassed the clan at every opportunity, driving most away, and even killing a few who would not leave. In the end it was only the clan elder and his small family, and they were finally driven out when they set fire to the remnants of the village." "The remaining family ran, many were lost, and the elder, his wife, and their daughter, made it here to the Shimmerwood Forest, where they were attacked by the beasts that lived here. Fastar found them and saved the filly, but it was too late for her parents. Fastar raised her as his own daughter, bringing her to this clearing, and, gathering others whose clans had been driven out and disbanded, founded the Fastar clan. And so, Starlight Whitetail, the daughter of the last Whitetail elder, became Starlight Fastar, the first of the Fastar Clan." She nodded, indicating that the story was done, "I'm named after her, and maybe one day I'll be the elder of the clan too." Nova had no issue staying outside with Starlight, after the story at the obelisk he was a bit more relaxed, but still glad to defer to Speckle. Indigo went inside the large structure with Lilac still on her back to leave the trio to their own devices, "I'll come find you when I'm done here, or you can come back here to find me if you get tired first." As to Speckle's questions, Starlight took them all in stride, "So, for me at least, diplomacy is talking to creatures, seeking to understand them, and helping them to understand us. It is very important in the clan to resolve differences, and usually that happens through communication. Like, when another clan joins us, we, well, my father and the other elders, sit down with them to discuss how they can integrate. Many clans have very unique cultures and traditions, some of which can unite with ours without issue, while others go more in conflict with our values. So they talk and they compromise and eventually they come to an understanding. That's something I want to do too, I like helping people and making friends." "When I got my mark, well, I was sitting in on one of those meetings so I could learn what they were like, and I was so fascinated by how such a different clan like the Obelisk clan could be brought to terms with our culture. Before they joined, they were a very stoic, isolated clan who hated interacting with anyone who wasn't a thestral, but they came to understand that cooperation would help them to thrive. After that, I took what I learned and helped some friends settle an argument without fighting like they usually would, and I got my mark!" Nova looked like he had realized something, "Obelisk, I think that's the clan the elder at my colony is from." Starlight looked surprised, "Really? Maybe I met them!? I remember they had a lot of issues fitting in, they've had a lot of meetings with my father over the years. The one I sat in wasn't their first meeting. Sometimes clans take a long time to fully integrate, more it can be that the old elders are so set in their ways that they don't want to change their traditions. That's why my father likes to have younger thestrals on the council and to have students learn from them, so that we can adapt as things change."

@Blitz Boom Per Kozue, you may be able to guess but I should clarify, the photograph is influencing his mind and actions. It may not make much difference during this present arc, but so long as he has the photo he will be obsessed with the singular goal of finding the entity that he thinks the image depicts.

@Blitz Boom (Null) Nine wouldn't have much more to say on it, mow wasn't the time or the place to debate the relative moralities of Vengeance, Mercy, or Karma. The loose dirt was easy enough to clear away, and soon enough she was moving through the tunnel. (Cherish) A dark cave like this one was a poor place to flail around blindly, the moss didn't illuminate all the sharp rocks that stood around them. Cherish would get a few cuts, nothing major, just like when she had been digging in the sand at the start of this whole thing. They likely wouldn't even scar, but any amount of blood stands out on a white coat, and often looks worse than it is. Cherish's cry seemed to shake Elef from whatever kept him morose, he would move towards her, moving between her and the entrance. (Null & Cherish) And that would be the scene that Null would enter on. Elef, standing over a terrified and bloodied white filly, the only difference between this scene and that of their first meeting was that the filly was still alive. Though that may not be true for long as Elef was opening his mouth, sharp fangs glinting in the low light. Null would not be able to see the ghostly filly like Cherish could, though Cherish were likely too scared to notice that she was still present, watching from a distance. Nine was aware of her presence, but didn't consider it relevant to the situation at hoof. Despite Null's appearance, there were still sounds coming from the tunnel, softer than Null's had been, but growing steadily louder as something else approached. (Void) Scouts would return to the craft indicating that a tunnel had been dug around the sealed entrance, fairly recently too, which looked small enough for a filly or colt to crawl through, but would need to be widened to let anyone from the craft through, especially one as large as Crow, which would take time. (Ranger) Ranger shrugged and waited for Kozue to satisfy his curiosity. At first glance things were as he thought, out of date research, the thin leaps of logic strung together by a fool that didn't understand anything about the subject. Half of these articles didn't even seem related and the photos, well, bighoof had clearer pictures than these. Unfortunately, Kozue did not heed the warning, and looked behind the sheet to see the photo shown in the plaque out front. Seeing it directly... he could swear there were hidden details in it, things that clearly only he could see given all the false leads the previous researcher had gone down. He could swear he'd seen that place before, something in the background just seemed so familiar to him, but he couldn't quite put a claw on it. Looking back at the strings he suddenly saw the, admittedly flawed, but logical connections between everything he had so easily dismissed before. Yes, it all made sense now! The former researcher had been on the right track, but they lacked the pertinent knowledge that only a kitsune had. They had been looking in all the wrong places, but... they had made some interesting discoveries. The articles didn't mention kitsune explicitly, but Kozue could tell that they had been present in the events, the pony who wrote the article just didn't understand, how could they? More and more it made sense, the one photographed had been traveling, hidden, yet leaving clues behind, seemingly everywhere given all the articles. Had they been here? Were they here now? Little details around the room seemed to suggest that they had, maybe even they had been the previous researcher, laying all this out just for him so that he could be the one to find them! Yes, that made sense. He was destined to be the one to find them. He would take the photo and stow it away. He had to keep it safe after all, it wouldn't do to let anyone else see it, they might damage it, and they wouldn't be able to help with it anyway. Best to keep it secret, and to study it alone... yes... The other articles and strings weren't important, he'd already learned what he needed to from them. And he could always come back if he had to. He just had to finish with Ranger so that she could leave and he could be alone. She wouldn't understand, she'd just hold him back from the discovery. He would have to say something, make her think there was nothing important in there, lest she try to interfere... His tail and ears slumped, as he gave a last look, before returning to Ranger. "I had hoped that maybe... *sigh* I suppose it was a fool's hope, that things would be so simple. We should keep going." Ranger sighed, "I think that's why Arcade would go back for them, to make sure. The monsters here... many of them looked like they used to work here, so it seemed like something that could happen." Ranger nodded, "We'll need to move fast then, there's only one last spot anyway, and there should be another exit from there." She managed to get the damaged door open enough for them to pass through, but they wouldn't be able to close it behind them. "Seems like we'll be putting your cloak magic to the test. Should we try to move quietly? Or would it still work if we ran? In either case, how are you in a fight?" It wouldn't be long before they got their first look at one of the monsters, a shambling form of an equine that seemed an equal mix between a vampire, a zombie, and one of the spawn. It didn't seem to have noticed them yet, but it was heading their way. (Grey) It did seem foolish, if one supposed that the stated goals disseminated among the pegasi were in fact Red's true goal. If, however, one suspected that Red might have other goals and motivations, things might make a bit more sense. Regardless of motivations, things were moving, and needed to be stopped. One might consider whether Red had even been aware of the effect of the boon before putting it on, as Basher himself had been hesitant to wear it due to not being sure as to the effects. That said, she didn't seem surprised as to the outcome, and seemed to adapt well to her new form. The response in his blindfold was from Watch, 'She's not a deity you pray to. We're moving agents to the tower.' Both of them got a message: 'Your previous orders stand. Secure the boon, eliminate Red as a threat, by any means necessary.' Their lack of response that the other pegasi had followed, and perhaps Red had been able to pick them out of the crowd before the transformation, but they would come to realize that she was watching them, a cruel smile on her face. With a flap of her massive wings she moved, much faster than they might have expected, and than she had expected as she plowed through the cloud stadium seating above them. She was soon back though, bits of cloud stuck in her feathers. "Little would-be-queen sent you to spy on me did she? To check on her little lost ling?" she laughed, "Go and tell her that she's next." She looked about to leave, but she paused, "Hmm, two to send a message, seems excessive." A gust from her wings was enough to send them tumbling as it dispersed some of the clouds beneath them. "Let's see who's strong enough to survive." (Unlike other arcs, I have little planned with respect to how this one ends. Which is to say, how this goes is up to you, and you will be mostly on your own.) (Bling has been informed that the Stacked Deck is under attack.) (As Red is transformed, she can no longer detect changelings, so Craven and Yannit can escape if they change their disguise somewhere Red can't see or trace back to them. Red also doesn't have her magic anymore beyond those possessed by pegasi, so she can't teleport or follow a teleport. We can discuss strategy in the OOC.)

@Blitz Boom Alas! I was starting to worry, but I'm glad that you found your spare!

@Skylight Scintillate Nova looked more surprised, and confused at the sight. Clearly, he hadn't expected so many different creatures to be present here. "...Yeah, I wonder why our elder has told us to be so exclusionary, when this place looks so inclusive?" The new filly seemed happy to match her energy, visibly relieved that she hadn't been dismissed or derided for her efforts. "I think it's pretty cool, but I haven't been much other places yet. Everything!? Let's see... there's a bunch of pony houses and hybrid houses and proper thestral houses, there's even a few cloud houses that some pegasi brought in, but I don't know how interesting that would be, it's not nice to go into a house uninvited. Um, we've got a school and the gathering hall, there's the hut where the chronicler and the historian work, and there's an amphitheater where they share stories of our past." She started to point at things in the distance as she rattled them off, "We've got the memorial and the mausoleum for the first Fastar, that's a common thing thestrals come to see." She turned back to them, "Where are you visiting from? Maybe we could compare? As to what to do, well, there's lots of lessons and things to learn. It's important to be self-reliant after all, and to do so requires practice and effort. But a clan doesn't thrive on individuals, rather through cooperation. I got my mark in diplomacy, so I'm practicing speaking to ponies and making a good impression on visitors." She smiled to herself on that. "Oh, yeah! Sorry, I should have introduced myself at the beginning." She did a quick bow, "I'm Starlight Fastar, it's a pleasure to meet you all." Indigo would approach the group at that point, "It's good to meet you Starlight, would it be possible for me to meet with your father? I have some concerns from the colony near Archback." Starlight looked concerned, "Hmm, he's usually pretty busy, but I can take you to the gathering hall and we can see if he'll see you? Is that where you're all visiting from? I don't think I've met too many thestrals from there, those that come usually are just bringing wood and they don't usually want to talk to me while they do their deliveries." Starlight would lead the way towards the center of the colony, where the trees stood the tallest in a ring around what appeared to be the central clearing. Standing in the middle was a marble obelisk with a number of names and some stories carved on it. The largest words indicated that it was a memorial to the Whitetail clan, and to one Starlight, like their guide, 'Last of Whitetail, First of Fastar' who had died over a hundred years prior. Towards one side of the clearing was the only other marble structure, which looked like the entrance to a tomb, which Starlight pointed out as the mausoleum while leading them to the largest wooden structure built around and up along one of the larger trees bordering the clearing. "Well, here's the gathering hall. Do you want me to take you inside? Wait out here?" Indigo turned towards Nova and Speckle, "Do you two want to go in with me? Or stay out here with Starlight? I'm sure she'd be happy to show you around a bit more while I meet inside?" Starlight nodded at that, and waited for Speckle's response.

@Skylight Scintillate Indigo nodded, "It is something that I admire of the Fastar clan, their commitment to the greater whole, and the importance they put towards keeping commitments once made." She would return their attention to the trail and resume their journey. "We're almost there now." The trees only seemed to grow larger and more covered with carvings the closer they came, until finally they reached an archway made of two shimmerwood trees that had been woven together in the branches. These trees were wholly bereft of carvings except for one large symbol on each. On the left tree was a large diamond, and on the right tree was a bit of a swooping design, like a tail. Across the woven branches was carved: 'Upon this foundation, many great things will be accomplished.' The archway connected the trail to a wide open clearing, much larger than the clearing at Nova's colony, a large circle with some collections of trees inside the clearing, like it had once been several smaller clearings that had grown and connected over time. The trees were covered in houses, like at Nova's colony, but there were also more regular pony structures on the ground among the trees and spread among the clearing. The reason for such was quickly apparent when they saw the multitude of creatures present. While the vast majority of those they could see were thestrals, there were also a number of obvious bat-ponies, full ponies, zebra, and even some zebra-thestral hybrids, all living and working together. Their group didn't gain much attention as they entered, mostly just some kind waves which they returned. It was also easy to notice just how social the ponies here were being, not at all like the quiet and stoic feeling that covered Nova's colony. Indigo led them a short distance away from the archway so that they wouldn't be in the way of any other travelers, and they weren't there long before a thestral filly approached them. As Indigo seemed preoccupied with a map she came over to Nova and Speckle in particular. "Hi there! Are you lost? Or, oooh! are you moving in!? You've got bags and all but not like a lot of stuff, not that that's a problem, plenty have come here with even less. I could help you find where you need to go if you want? I know where everything is around here!" This new filly was certainly talkative, her coat was a deep purple, almost black, with a dark blue mane that looked like she had woven several shiny bits through it to look like stars. She had a mark, which featured a quill inside a diamond like the one from the archway. Despite her mane being dark her tail was pure white and lacked any decoration. "Oh, sorry! What are your names? What brings you to the Fastar Clan?"

@Blitz Boom (Cherish) Elef didn't move, nor did he respond to her faltered plea, but she saw... something. Glimpses as though through another pony's eyes. Elef standing over her, eyes sharp but not all there, like he was looking through her. Fangs sharp and pronounced. A flash of movement, pain, then it was over. The forces trying to get her to move seemed to redouble, but her will held out. 'Why Wont You LEAVE!' Suddenly, the forces stopped, and cherish would likely stumble forward a bit at suddenly pushing against nothing, getting a snout full of very cold air before she righted herself. Standing before her was a filly, or at least the apparition of one, about her size. Her coat was white, though that could just be because of her condition, with a dark mane and blue eyes, though the blue was faded, almost grey. She didn't appear to have a mark, and looked to be breathing heavily, though there was no sound. Her expression was complicated, a mix of jealousy, anger, sadness, confusion, and desperation all rolled into one. When she spoke, it didn't echo off the walls of the cavern like Cherish's did, it was as though she was speaking to her mind. 'Leave... while you still can. Little isn't the only monster here.' There was a sound of movement from the tunnel she had entered from, it was unclear whether it came from the entrance or the other fork. (Ranger) She looked confused at the honorific, "I wouldn't know. Most of the things kept here had been moved before we arrived. The living and easily transported things at least. A blurry photo? Might still be in there, though the sign says it's dangerous, so I'd leave it alone." The plaque itself was still well attached to the wall, but the adjoining door seemed intact enough that he could try and get it open. It seemed to operate on a keycard system, and a low enough security kind that it could be convinced to open with a careful application of magic, if he felt so inclined. Ranger looked relieved to hear that Ayjay wasn't lingering, "We were all young, I think Arcade wanted to try and preserve some innocence as best as he could, especially for the younger ones. As to the bodies... I don't doubt that the monsters ate them. They always seemed... hungry, starved even, whenever they found us." She shuddered at the memory. "Let's keep moving, the sooner we leave this place the better." She would continue leading the way, pausing at a crossroads. "This is where we got separated, Effs and the fillies went one way, Arcade, Elef, and I went the other way. We were clearing the path so they could travel safely, but they took a wrong turn." On the ground, there was a loose tile with part of an arrow on it, she rotated it back to where it should have been pointing, "I guess that explains why." She sighed, then proceeded down the hallway that the arrow had originally pointed towards, "I don't know how far down this way she got. Arcade found her before I did. Is there a way you can scan passively? See if you can tell where it might have happened?" In either case, it would only be about ten minutes of walking before they would find a clump of yellow feathers, dried blood at the tips. No sign of any lost souls here either if he scanned. Ranger simply stared at the feathers with a sad expression, before turning her attention to the locked and battered door a short distance away. They would hear hoofsteps at full gallop, some distance away echoing through the hallways. Someone was running, but it was hard to tell whether they were approaching. There were other sounds to follow though, the loud steps seemed to be waking the monsters of the facility. (Null) Arcade snorted, but didn't otherwise respond. There was a conflict boiling below the surface there. He was already moving into the facility, not wanting to waste a second, and so Null was left alone. The cold settled over her as before, and the trails revealed a pair had arrived at the top of the mesa. One a faint white, the other a faded red, not nearly so deep as it had been the first time. 'Giving ponies chances is more Mercy's thing. Vengeance is more about punishment, and you never assigned one to him. Nor did you ask the avatar or the judge to assign one in your stead. So, he wasn't really given a chance, not yet.' 'The fact that his line had faded means that he either has made some progress towards redemption, or that those calling for vengeance have lessened their claim. As the one we know of is dead... the former sems more likely, and shows promise.' At the top of the mesa she'd be able to find the hole that Elef had widened in order to slip through around the sealed entrance. As small as she was, Elef and Cherish were smaller, and it had partially collapsed behind them, so she would need to dig it out a bit more before she'd be able to get through. (Void) The sun was starting to rise, and they could see the mesa in the distance. It wouldn't be long now. (Grey) Most of the discussion in the crowd held the same sentiment, many theories were passed around as to why they had been called together, what Moth was going to announce. Some thought that it was time to try again at seizing the Stacked Deck, others thought that they would be separating the cloud layer and moving it somewhere else, a minority suggested that maybe there had been some agreement reached with the leaders, and so fighting wouldn't be necessary? Admittedly, only one pegasus in the group seemed to have that sentiment, but if one was willing to say it maybe others felt it? In any case, a hush fell over the crowd as Moth, or Red, began to speak. If they had moved towards the front of the crowd, and it would be easy for them to, it would be easy for Yannit to tell that Moth was indeed a changeling, and they seemed to be feeding off the uncertainty of the crowd, leaving behind the more aggressive emotions. "My fellow pegasi. I'm not one for speeches, so I'll keep this brief. We've recovered Basher's Boon, and with it we'll accomplish what he was too weak to finish." One of the attending pegasi brought a small box over to the stage. Moth opened it and pulled out an amulet. The chain and the face of it seemed to be made of that weird rainbow metal so popular at tourist shops for knives meant more for display than use, and the center of the face was embossed with a single feather. Moth was clearly not one for much ceremony as she put the amulet on without much fanfare, or opportunity for Yannit or Craven to stop her, and the effect was immediate. There was a sound like a snap, followed by the cracking of bones as Moth collapsed on the stage, convulsing, as a ring of red fire slowly passed over her, hiding her from view. It was over in a minute, but felt to those gathered like longer, before she stood back up. Her coat was now a shimmering red, her mane replaced with a fan of white feathers, and when she unfurled her wings, they were easily triple the size of a normal pegasus', larger even than an alicorns. The spread wings seemed to invoke something deep among the pegasi gathered, as most of them spread their own wings and bowed in response. Another thing that Yannit could tell, was that Red was no longer a changeling, and the emotions flooding off of her new form were filled with bloodlust. Red smiled, her voice having taken on a more feminine yet authoritative tone, "Now. We take the tower. Go!" The gathered pegasi immediately began to fly off in the direction of the Stacked Deck.

@Skylight Scintillate Indigo would comment, "It can actually be quite cozy, with the right kind of hammock. Nova's father and I usually share a larger one when he's here. In your case, it helps that Lilac is still small." They both seemed intrigued by the hippogriff, Nova commenting, "I think I heard about those once, they mostly live in coastal areas right? Or, aren't they the ones that are half gryphon and half pony?" Indigo looked thoughtful before answering, "I think the term is used by both, since I've heard that they look similar. Maybe the hybrids will start adding the -pony like bat ponies do?" Nova turned his attention back to Speckle, "So your friend is one of the seapony types? That's cool! I don't know if I could do another exchange so soon though..." he looked to his mother who gently shook her head. "Maybe when Lilac is a bit older, or if you go do guard training in Canterlot like your father suggested? You'd be a bit closer then." That thought seemed to have some mixed feelings for Nova, but generally positive. The forest itself seemed to grow darker the further they went, as the trees around them grew older and taller, the underbrush thinning out as less sunlight meant fewer things could grow under the canopy. Nova commented, "We could look for tracks, but I think most animals would avoid the road." "Animals yes, but many other creatures travel this road." Indigo suggested, "Maybe you'll be able to recognize some other creatures that have walked here? Like, here." She paused to point out a hoofprint that was a bit different from the others, "This track was left by a pony wearing a shoe, unlike us" she showed that he hoof didn't have a shoe attached, and left a print next to the shod print. "That's probably from one of the Children, they often wear shoes because of the rocks on the mountain." That example given, they'd be able to watch the road for other tracks from other sentient creatures, as well as looking at the different sizes of prints to guess at ages. A bit further down the path the area seemed to brighten again, a blueish tint indicative of the shimmerwood trees which were becoming more abundant around them. The larger ones had their bark carved with innumerable small symbols, some of them runes (Which speckle might be able to recognize depending on what she might have learned from Radiant, if so, they looked like runes of protection) along with messages in a variety of languages, the ones in Equish being for the most part welcoming. Some of them appeared to be quite old, while others seemed more recently carved. Some even still had the shavings near the base of the tree. Indigo would point out a few larger symbols, like a four pointed star, a large rectangle, and a crescent moon. "Those are the symbols of some of the clans that joined in to the Fastar clan, I believe every clan that has joined has a tree somewhere along this path with their symbol, along with their uniting oath written out in some form or another. Carving them into the shimmerwood trees shows that their commitment only grows stronger over time. Similarly..." She slowed her pace, looking over the trees before stepping off of the path to a tree a short distance away. She pointed to something a bit above her own eye level, "There." They would have to fly up to read it properly, but it was words carved to form a circle: 'Nightwing Fastar & Indigo Eclipse, 992 ANM' inside the circle was carved: 'Nova Fastar, 993 ANM' and 'Lilac Fastar, 1001 ANM' Looking around they would see many similar circles with names. Indigo would explain as they returned to the path, "It's a bit of a tradition here, those who marry into the clan carve the circle to symbolize the strength of their own bond as a family, similar to the clans, growing only stronger over time."

@Blitz Boom (Cherish) The feeling came back with a vengeance there, when she thought about him needing her. There was a deep anger, and a bit of... jealousy? He doesn't need you. He doesn't deserve you. "No." As he continued, she got the distinct feeling of déjà vu, like she'd heard it before. "I'm a monster, monsters deserve to die. I tried to help, tried to keep them safe, but I've been a monster this whole time." Then the feeling shifted "I should have died here, instead of her. I should have... I should have died when I first got infected." Some confusion clouded the anger, a bit of concern that matched Cherish's own. Infected? "Go. It isn't safe for you to be here, you aren't safe with me." He warned me, I didn't listen. I shouldn't have followed him... The anger came back, but it wasn't as strong. He should have tried harder. I thought he loved me. It felt like there was something inside her, trying to escape, or... trying to get her to escape? It felt like every part of her was struggling to move, twitching. It felt more and more like she'd been here before, that she had followed him when she wasn't supposed to, driven by worry, by care, and there was a rising dread that it would turn out badly for her. (Ranger) She shrugged, "Might as well, we had to be on the move pretty frequently, and the monsters even came through the walls for us sometimes, but some level of protection is better than nothing." She would start to lead the way through the halls. Luckily, most of the damage did not appear too recent, and there wasn't much indication of activity other than themselves. Where the halls of the underground academy would have been right at home in an old university, the halls here were cold, sterile, minus the biohazards they were stepping over, and looked like a proper secret science facility. Most of the doorways were sealed behind electronic locks, plastered with warnings. Some had placards next to them with a picture of either a creature or an object on one side, with labels and symbols on the other, seeming to belong to some sort of categorizing system proprietary to this place. Kozue could probably ask about it, or figure it out given enough time, but the message was clear enough that the things depicted were likely dangerous, even if some of the labels said Safe. One that might catch his eye was what looked like a picture of a photograph of the shadow of a many tailed creature that might be a kitsune. It was hard to make out from the image how many tails it had, but it seemed like a lot. After passing through many hallways that seemed identical, Ranger came to a stop in what looked like a cafeteria, or it had been at one point. The place was trashed, with some evidence that ponies had been living here among the rubble. "This was the first place, where Mistress hid us away. Where, I imagine, Ayjay might have made her last stand." She sighed, "At least, from what I gathered from Arcade. He wasn't much inclined to share what happened after the rest of us escaped." She idly dug through some of the rubble before looking over at Kozue, "Can you... check if she's still around? I don't know what that might look like." Depending on his ability, it would be clear that plenty had died here, but there didn't seem to be any lingering spirits. Perhaps more concerningly, there weren't any bodies or even bones left in this room, despite the amount of death. (Null) Arcade's expression was hard, but not entirely towards Null. "You should have told me sooner. When we first met, you should have told me what happened." He let out a long sigh. "I can't fault you for sparing him, for making the same mistake I did. I shouldn't have risked him being infected. Rare is dead because I was weak, and now another is in danger too. Let's go. I have to make my mistake right, before any more are hurt because of my cowardice." He'd get moving then, not bringing anything beyond his knife, and not hardly waiting for Null if she delayed. He'd only pause to leave a note for Ranger when she didn't answer her door, believing her to still be asleep. If Null didn't stop him (They can talk a bit on the way) they'd arrive at the mesa soon after, the wind not fully erasing the evidence that someone had recently entered the facility. "Someone else is here too." He looked up to the top of the mesa, "They sealed the top entrance, right? Even so, you could hardly carry me up there." He shook his head, "I'll go in this way, and make my way up to where it happened. You can follow me, or try and get in through the top, but time is of the essence." (Void) Seeing as Void was too preoccupied for conversation, even to try and take her mind off of things, Llambda and the changeling decided to give her some space. They would remain nearby if Void wanted to talk, but wouldn't pressure her. (Grey) There were enough resources in the armory for them each to have one, and so long as they brought them back they wouldn't incur any additional debt. However, they wouldn't be able to conceal the dagger too closely to themselves while disguised without the antimagic breaking the disguise, or burning them. It seemed like most of the pegasi up there were openly armed anyway, so having a dagger on their body won't raise much suspicion. In any case, once they returned to the cloud layer something seemed to be in motion. Many were heading towards a structure towards the west end of the cloud, furthest from the city itself, gathering in a mostly intact amphitheater that had previously been used for air shows, like the Cloudsdale coliseum, but smaller. A reddish pegasus mare was near the podium, along with the pegasus who had talked to them at the bar on their first trip up. Depending on how good their skills of detecting other changelings was, they'd find that very few of the pegasi in attendance were changelings, and it might be hard to tell at this distance if the reddish pegasus at the podium was one either. If they could, then it would seem like she was. Out in the open like this, it would be hard to approach her, but not technically impossible. Most of the pegasi in attendance were talking among themselves, their attention not on the center stage yet.

@Skylight Scintillate "Hmm? Oh, um, She's a foal, not much more to it then that. She mostly just hangs around mom, or dad when he's visiting. I'm surprised she climbed into your hammock, she's usually a lot more... aloof? Like the others here." Indigo simply shook her head, "I'm wondering that myself, but I think we'll know a bit more by the time we get back. And if we don't? Well, you all will have gotten a nice trip out of it regardless." She turned back to offer Speckle a weak smile, "I know it might be difficult, but it really would be best if you just let me worry about it. You two focus on having a good time, maybe you'll make some new friends once we're there? I know at least that the central colony has a lot more young thestrals there than we do." Nova did seem a bit excited at the prospect of making some friends, given he didn't seem to have any at home, but there was the worry in his visage that it would just be the same there as here. Indigo helped a bit, "She's really warmed up to you, or maybe she's just curious since you're different from the others in our colony. Usually she sleeps in my hammock with me when it gets colder, but I had to get up earlier today to pack for the trip, I guess she joined you in your hammock?" Nova nodded, "Yeah, I had to help her get out so that Speckle could get up." Indigo spoke over to Speckle, "I don't remember if you mentioned in your letters, do you have any siblings at home?" "Or other friends?" Nova added, "I mean, you didn't introduce me to any, and it's not like I expected you to, I appreciate that you were focused on showing me a good time, I'm just, um, curious..."

@Blitz Boom (Cherish) Visually she could see some dried blood on him, some scratches around one side of his neck and whither where Nova's fangs had cut, but it didn't seem too deep. He paused, but didn't turn to face her. "Th- this... " he motioned towards the hole, "This is home. It's where I came from, It's where I belong." As she approached, she found herself feeling... angry? Like Elef had hurt her, betrayed her, but the feeling passed before she could give it much thought. Elef resumed digging, and if Cherish didn't stop him would break through to the larger tunnel on the other side in just a minute of effort. "Don't follow me, you'll only get hurt." again. He'd quickly enter the tunnel, and disappear into the darkness. If she decided to follow, her efforts to crawl through the hastily widened tunnel would cause it to collapse a bit behind her. It wouldn't be hard to push through, so she wasn't trapped, but it plunged her into darkness. After her eyes adjusted, she could see the glowing moss ahead, and could follow it down the tunnel. Reaching a junction in the tunnel there was noise to the right, leading to a large dim room where he killed me. She could faintly see Elef there, sitting in the middle of the room, softly crying, like he did before. There it was again, the anger, the feeling of betrayal, where...? Where did that come from? And the strange thoughts... Something strange was ahoof here. (Void) Gemini and Teal didn't argue, hurrying back home with Void, and helping her relay what had occurred to Vale. Vale was more than willing to continue watching the young ponies until Void returned. As such, Llambda would agree to continue on with Void, accompanying her on the airship along with the ivory accented changeling they had passed when first leaving the Mercy room. Though now was hardly the time for introductions, and Void was hardly in a state to remember if they had been introduced or not. Selena relayed the directions to Crow so that she could fly ahead. And would be allowed to follow the airship after getting lost. The airship was traveling slower than its max speed, allowing some of the guards aboard to sweep the desert below as they passed, in case the pair had deviated from their predicted path. Something that Crow could help with as she followed. Llambda would stay close to Void, her kind smile having faded just a bit since they first met, but still doing her best to lift her spirits, "Oh, I'm sure they'll be alright. They seem the sort deserving of a bit of kindness. I don't think Karma would let them get hurt now, and if so, well, then they'll deserve an even bigger kindness, and we'll be the ones to give it to them by bringing them home." Maybe it wasn't quite the best thing to say at a time like this, but it seemed that Llambda had an ever positive outlook on life. Selena was standing at the front of the airship, the ivory accented changeling had been speaking with her before coming over to where Void and Llambda were. "A few hours yet, says the gem-born one, until we arrive." The changeling's voice sounded old, but peaceful, tranquil. "Slowly, we are traveling, to watch, if strayed, the young ponies have." (Void and Co will be the last group to arrive at the mesa) (Null) Arcade was easy to rouse, being a particularly light sleeper, "What's going on? Did something happen?" His response would depend on what Null told him about what was going on. He'd be following her regardless, but Null hadn't yet told him what she had seen when she first found Elef. Arcade didn't know that Elef had killed Rare, he only knew what Null had told him, that Null had saved Elef and not been able to save Rare. He had assumed that some other monster had gotten Rare. (Unless you want to say that she did talk about this with him before, like the previous night. If so, we'll step back to then and move through the scene. Arcade has a bit to say and feel about this event.) (Due to time differences, Ranger is ahead of Null. Null and Arcade will arrive after Ranger) (Ranger) Ranger had hardly had the luxury to grow up a picky eater, so she had no issues with a limited selection. She'd even take meat if that were all that were offered, it wouldn't be nutritious, but calories were calories. Still, normal food was available, so she'd load up a plate and join Kozue, "After last night? I'd rather get this over with sooner rather than later. Maybe we'll even get back before the other two wake up, then I won't have to answer as many questions about where I was." She'd get eating quickly, pulling out a mostly blank paper from what she had grabbed for Speck, before realizing that she had nothing to write with and putting it back. "It'll be dangerous where we're going, like, actual monsters dangerous." If he wasn't dissuaded, she'd be ready to leave after a few minutes of eating, demonstrating quite the ability to put food away. If Kozue wasn't ready to leave yet, she'd tell him to meet her at the base of the red mesa outside of town. Otherwise, they would travel together. The sun would just be hitting the top of it when they arrived. In either case, (Whether approaching together or Ranger coming over to Kozue when he caught up) Ranger would lead the way over to a partially concealed doorway, revealing a number pad that seemed to actually be powered. "Maybe the code will work here?" The first one she tried didn't, but the second one did get the old door moving, revealing a very thick door. The back of the door had innumerable scratches on the back, and no small amount of dried blood. The corridor it opened to wasn't a much better sight, a number of decaying bodies on the floor, which Ranger flew over to a clear space a bit away from the door. She looked back out at Kozue, "Still coming?" (Grey) While the toxin was not to be found here in New Pegas, the Crisis and the Summer War had brought new dangerous things for Changelings. Antimagic especially was dangerous for changelings, as it broke the field that surrounded them, causing them to burn alive. A small amount could be quickly washed off without permanent damage, but if some were ingested, or inhaled, well, very few changelings had survived that, and those who did bore painful scars. A knife coated with antimagic would be a potent weapon against a changeling, or a unicorn for that matter. When it came to instructions, his blindfold had some: Incapacitate Red Recover the boon Report back He would be allowed to seek equipment from the Grey armory, but they wouldn't have anything a blacksmith wouldn't. He would have to source anything special elsewhere, but he could obtain funds to do so with little pushback, it seemed that this was a top priority mission.

@Skylight Scintillate The next day, or rather, the night of the same day, the two young thestrals were woken in their hammocks by the sounds of Indigo moving about in the house below them, seemingly packing in advance of their trip. There was a hint of disgruntled muttering attached, as though something had frustrated her. Speckle might also be surprised to find that she was not alone in her hammock, as a little thestral filly lay curled up against her not unlike a large cat. Nova noticed, and came over to retrieve her, "Lilac, you're not supposed to be in there!" His tone was gentle, yet scolding, as he scooped up his younger sister out of Speckle's hammock. He was about to put her back in what was presumably her own hammock, given the smaller size, when Indigo called out from below, "Ah, Good Evening you two! Did you sleep well? Nova, could you bring Lilac down with you? I wasn't able to get someone to watch her this early, so she'll have to come with us." Nova simply nodded, setting Lilac down on his back between his wings, "Let's get going then Speckle, are you excited?" Once on the lower floor of the treehouse, Nova passed Lilac over to Indigo, and moved to sit when Indigo stopped him, "It's quite a trek to the central colony, so we're going to get going as soon as possible. We'll eat breakfast on the path, okay?" You two can go wash up real quick while I finish packing. Speckle would have some time alone with Nova while they went to wash up before returning to the tree house, where Indigo had everything ready to go. Once they returned, Indigo would give each of them a small pack to carry, "I've packed your breakfasts in there, as well as a few snacks and some water, and I've got some extra with me in case you run out." In the bag was as Indigo described, though it was a pretty loose definition of breakfast. More accurately it was a large collection of a variety of snacks, including a few varieties of fruits, some dried meats, a bit of bread, and a soft pouch which probably held the water that Indigo had mentioned. Given how some of the dried meat faintly glowed, it may have been some of the leftover ursa meat from the previous night. They were stopped by one of the guards before they left the clearing, "Indigo? Where are you all going so early?" Indigo's mood appeared to fall a bit, "To the Central colony." The guard looked conflicted, "Why? I mean, maybe we could save you the trip. There's a shipment of wood scheduled for tomorrow, maybe they could-" "Could show our guest what the central colony is like? No, I thank you for your concern, but I think it would be more impactful for her to see it for herself, rather than hear about it second hoof." The guard waffled a bit, "But... The Elder-" Indigo fixed him with a stare, "Are you going to stop me?" There was a tense few moments while the guard struggled to decide what to do, before he shook his head, "No, you all have a safe journey." Indigo nodded, then started walking into the woods without another word. Once they were in the forest proper, following the path to the north, Indigo seemed to relax a bit. Lilac seemed to pick up on that, turning around from her perch on her mother's back to wave at Speckle, "Hewo! You warm."

I figured I'd share this here so those interested could be notified, but they've started! https://mlpforums.com/topic/205724-roleplay-reading-ponyville-weather-team-chapter-one/ And it's really good! Well worth a listen!

@Blitz Boom (There's going to be a bit of a time skip, just jumping to the next morning when the next group of events kick off.) (Cherish) Mostly it was the wind that made it difficult for Elef to hear what Cherish was saying, though he did react a bit when she shouted, pushing ahead a bit faster, maybe he thought he was being chased? He didn't look back. The sun was just starting to rise when he dropped from the upper air current, heading for a large red mesa standing in the middle of the desert a short distance from a city. It might occur to Cherish then just how long they had been flying, and how far they had gone. Elef's sudden drop out of the air current might cause Cherish to overshoot, having to swing around and return. (continued below) (Void) Llambda smiled as Crow accepted her gift, "Oh, Always happy to help." Selena returned from talking with the guards, Nova being carried off with two of them back to the city. "So, there's good news and bad news. Good news is that we were able to find them, and we have a good idea where they're headed. The bad news is that they're too fast for the guards to catch up. But that's not entirely a bad thing, as we have some friends where they're going." She turned towards Void, "Null is still in New Pegas, right? I'll get a message out to her, she should be able to find the two of them quicker than we can get some guards out there." She seemed to recognize that that wouldn't be enough to placate her, or that it definitely wouldn't be enough for Crow. "In addition, we're getting an airship ready to head out as soon as possible. If you don't think you'd be better suited to care for the ones here, there's room for you to join us." She turned towards Crow, "You're welcome to join as well, or to fly there yourself if you'd be more comfortable. We can get you a map as to where we think they're going." Llambda moved to stand beside Void, "Oh, um, I'd still like to help. I was heading towards New Pegas anyway, but I can also stay here and help with your foals if you need me to." Teal and Gemini looked conflicted, as though they wanted to go after Elef as well, but also recognizing that the foals back home also needed their care. Whatever Crow and Void's choices, Selena would indicate that the airship would leave in an hour, giving them time to prepare if they were going to leave with it. (continued below) (Grey) Basher smirked, "As you should be. Nothing without a price, but sometimes the price is worth paying." He waved dismissively, "So long as you don't wear it, it's safe to hold. At least, I held and handled it plenty while I had it, and I didn't notice any ill effects." He shook his head, "I wouldn't be so hesitant, she certainly won't be. Though, I think you may already know something about her. Maybe you've even met her? She's gone by many faces and disguises. At least, I'm sure some of the more important changelings here know about her, though they probably know her by a different name, Red." Depending on when Craven, Yavin, and Mongoose joined up with the changelings here, they may or may not have heard about Red. Red first came to town about a year ago, standing out as the only red accented changeling any of them had seen. She claimed to be from the Stalliongrad hive, like Rasputin had. But unlike Rasputin, she had no restraint on her bloodlust. Violence towards the ponies of New Pegas was one thing, but she had also been violent towards some of the changelings, and had been kicked out of the group after a short while, not to be seen again. Many of the changelings figured that she had simply left town after that, and thanked the stars and mother for it. As such, her tale wasn't much shared with newer changelings. Nonetheless, Basher continued, "She was always on the move, even more so than me, but never failed to turn up for a fight, like a moth to a flame. Hence her name. Now that she seems to be in charge?" He thought for a moment, "I'm sure you spoke to Razzi or Papa while you were up on the cloud layer? They were in charge of talking to any newcomers and finding information. They'll know where she's gathering, or know where to look for gathering. That's your best bet, play along, wait for her to reveal herself, then get as close as you can." He nodded, "That's what I would do at least. Like I said at the beginning, I wouldn't hesitate to kill her. She certainly won't hesitate to kill you, given the chance." [The Next Morning] (Cherish) Elef was digging at a hole in the ground when Cherish caught up to him, it looked like a small tunnel had been dug out around a sort of sealed larger tunnel, likely the small tunnel had originally been dug by some small animal, and Elef was trying to widen the tunnel enough that he could crawl through. Depending on how Cherish would approach, Elef would respond. "You shouldn't have followed me, I'll just get you hurt." (Null) Nine would wake Null up a bit earlier than she might have liked, "There's a message for you. The Grey dropped it off. That little thestral colt ran off from Troy, along with a young pegasus. They think they're headed for Red Mesa, and they want you to find them and keep them out of trouble until a group from Troy can come pick them up." (Ranger) Ranger would also be up a bit earlier than most, but was doing her best to move quietly as she prepared for her own excursion, unknowingly to the same destination as the others. She didn't want to wake Null or Arcade as she prepared, grabbing a few brochures for Speck, before heading down to breakfast, hoping it would be available that early. (Void) If Void had elected to travel on the airship, she and whoever had elected to join her (Like Crow or Llambda) would be on their way towards the Red Mesa. They'd get there in a few hours, and some pegasus guards were sweeping the area around the ship as it traveled, just in case the pair had veered off or landed somewhere else along the way.

@Skylight Scintillate Nova shrugged, "I guess we only went for the anniversary as it was the only time it was necessary? I mean, do you often leave Canterlot to go to other cities without an important reason?" He posed that as a rhetorical, but his tone betrayed that he wasn't entirely sure as to the answer. Maybe Speckle's family had a history of spontaneous excursions? Nonetheless, he moved on to the other questions he hadn't answered yet, "I think the thestrals there are nice enough, they acted a bit friendlier than the thestrals from my colony, but I thought it was just because of the occasion. There'd be a lot of food there, like the feast we had the other night, and we would hear stories of the clan's history from the Chronicler, which is this really old thestral who I guess is in charge of knowing all the stories." Indigo stepped in to give Nova a bit of a break, "I don't know if the staff is still there, it was a long time ago, like two hundred years, when the clan was founded. But they do have a special amulet of protection that has been passed down by the leaders." (I think her other questions were already answered, but if not she'll get more answers once they get there.) It would be a bit longer before Indigo would get their help in closing up her booth, a bit later than she usually did, and soon they were heading back towards the colony. On their way through the forest they were passed by another group of thestrals similarly burdened as the old zebra mare had described. Passing with a simple nod and a wave. Nova asked, "Were those the others that the zebra talked about? I didn't recognize them." Indigo simply continued forward, "I would imagine so, but we'll know for sure tomorrow." Once they were back in the colony, she sent the pair up to the treehouse, "Get on ready for bed you two, we'll be getting an early start tomorrow, and I have to arrange for someone to care for Lilac while we're gone."

@Emerald Heart Well, if this is open to anyone (Given it was announced in all my threads), here's some of my favorites: https://mlpforums.com/topic/142290-a-cultural-exchange-1x1-with-randimaxis/ (Which has already been story adapted here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/325624/a-cultural-exchange) https://mlpforums.com/topic/137156-a-personal-letter-for-the-one-i-have-wronged-1x1-rp-with-illiad-easle/ https://mlpforums.com/topic/197030-ponyville-weather-team/ https://mlpforums.com/topic/180332-deep-science-1x1-with-blitz-boom/ https://mlpforums.com/topic/193347-the-æther-project/

@Blitz Boom (Cherish) Given Cherish's training in school, and the fact that thestral wings were more suited to maneuverability and agility compared to long distance gliding (Which is what allowed them to excel at close quarters areal combat compared to pegasi) Cherish was actually able to slowly close the distance between her and Elef over time. She'd even get close enough to call out to him, but he wouldn't respond, or make any indication that he had heard her. (It will take an hour or two before they reach their destination) (Void) Teal and Gemini would move as though they wanted to approach Void, and would do so if Crow didn't move to stop them. Unlike what one might expect, they did not latch on Void's legs or attempt to hide beneath or behind her, despite there being ample space to, instead getting as close as possible without hindering Void's ability to move, and standing just to either side of her flanks, right at the edge of her vision. It was a trained stance for a defensive position, similar to how they had been sitting behind Crow, giving Void, as their defender, full ability to strike or turn while also remaining visible. They would not. however, object to Void embracing them once they got close enough. Teal commented, "We were out here digging with Crow and Cherish, Cherish got a small cut and then suddenly Nova swooped in on Elef out of nowhere!" Gemini followed, "Elef flew off once the guard mare caught Nova, and Cherish took off after him. Are... are we going to go look for them? It looks like he was heading back towards where we came from." She pointed out into the desert in the direction of New Pegas. Teal then looked towards Llambda, tilting her head a bit before looking back at Void, "Who's this with you? She looks kind of like Mistress." Llambda smiled and came a bit closer, "Oh, I'm just a friend, Void here seemed so worried so I thought I'd come and help! Here, do you two want a treat?" She would reach into a bag at her side that Void could see shimmering before pulling out a pair of decent looking apples, especially rare around here as the environment wasn't suited for fruit trees much, which she passed to the two fillies. If Crow had calmed down a bit, and not immediately flown off upon noticing or hearing that Cherish wasn't there anymore, Llambda would also offer something to her, pulling out something that could reasonably have been in the bag that Crow would like. (Ranger) She had a slight smile at that, "Yeah, I wouldn't have found the toys or been able to get into that room without you. Thank you." She sighed, "Well, that was where I came from. Tomorrow, is where we went between there and when Null found us. That's where Effs, Ajay, and Rare didn't make it." She snorted positively at that, but didn't have much to say, simply tired after the excursion. "Well, I guess we'll likely meet at breakfast tomorrow? See what the other two have to say or do before I can head out to the mesa." Unless he had anything else to add, she would head off towards the hotel at a leisurely pace, seemingly content to have a bit of time with her thoughts alone, except for Speck of course. (We'll pick this one up after the time jump. There will be a time jump once this night is done for all stories as all the sections above will come together at Red Mesa in the morning.) (Grey) Basher smiled at Craven's uncertainty, "Hmm... I'll say it is a bit more than just some enchanted minostralium. I'll also say that it is something that was made specifically for me, as a reward. Had it been something powerful, or that would have let me destroy the city, I would have used it before Grey could catch and kill me." He leaned back, "I won't say what exactly it does, other than that, when used properly, it poses no more danger to others than I already did." He seemed to be able to tell that that wasn't satisfying enough an answer, as he rolled his eyes and continued, "Maybe some backstory then? Alright. Back when I was working for Discord as one of his generals, he gave all of his top generals, myself included, a boon contingent on our success. I was able to seize Las Pegasus and so he gave me my boon, but I didn't use it then and didn't have the chance or desire to before Grey killed me and took it. Honestly, I was hesitant. You know about genies right? Well, I heard tell through the wind that some of the other generals who used their boons found that it wasn't quite what they expected. Sure, they got exactly what they asked for, but not exactly what they wanted. Nothing major was changed, and honestly they way he went about it was pretty funny, like what you'd expect to hear he had done before," he gestured vaguely around, "all this. I wasn't in any hurry to discover what trick he had planned for me, so I left it alone. But now I don't exactly have much to lose, so I figure if it is bad, well, I'll deserve it." He turned his gaze back towards Craven, "There, that enough for your superiors?" "I'm still hesitant to give it to him. But we'll see. His help is contingent on recovering the boon in any case, so he'll have a vested interest in helping us recover it whether we end up giving it to him in the end or not. We'll play along for now. First, we need information on how to stop Moth, and how we might recover the boon and safely return it to him."