Illiad Easle

@Blitz Boom Alas! No worries though! I know how that can be. That's why I keep a spare keyboard and mouse just in case. I hope it comes in soon!

@Skylight Scintillate Turing's expression softened, just a bit, as she crumpled under the pressure, "I see, it seems you lack instruction on this part. That is not a failing, at least not on your part. You did well to not lose hold of the prey. Do you think you can carry it back to the clearing without losing it?" If she nodded she'd be allowed to carry it as Turing led the way back to the clearing with Nova in tow. "The others have not yet been taught how to kill their prey, your capture will provide an excellent demonstration." Otherwise he would come closer, use a wing to stretch out the hare's back legs before pinning them with a hoof, then instruct Speckle to let it go. Pinned as it was it couldn't escape. "I'll carry it back to the clearing, and there I will instruct you and the others on how to properly kill prey that is caught." He would then grab the hare's neck with his fangs to carry it back to the clearing. Once back in the clearing the others were already gathered, each holding the small creatures they had caught, mostly mice, and quietly waiting for further instruction. If Speckle was carrying the hare herself the others would look impressed. At which point Turing would have her pass it over to him as above, pinning it to the ground before having her let it go. "Our guest has done well for her first hunt, having caught this hare almost entirely unassisted." Turning nodded towards Speckle, and the others did likewise, it seemed to be a quiet sign of respect. "Now, I will use her catch to teach you all how to kill what you have caught. While this hare is bigger than your prey, the process is mostly similar. First, you will go from the catch position to the pinned position like this." He picked it up by the neck again, and demonstrated using a wing to extend the hind legs and a hoof to pin them before releasing. "Your grip must be firm or they'll escape. Don't be tempted to pin the tail, many small creatures will bite their own tails off to escape if they can." He pressed a hoof to the base of the hare's neck on the back, right on the spine. "For smaller creatures you can press with your hoof here, down and forward, until you feel a pop and it stops moving. For larger creatures like this one though." He put his hoof under the head and lifted it backwards, the hare struggled, then stopped. "You can pull the head backwards to achieve the same result." He lifted the hoof pinning the back legs to reveal it was dead, as it did not try to escape. "Now, you do likewise." Turing would leave the hare to approach Speckle, "You did well for your first hunt. It would seem being raised around ponies has not left you so ill-equipped as I had supposed, or you are a quick study, and Nova an excellent guide." He nodded a bit deeper than before to the both of them, "In either case, you have exceeded my expectations."

@Skylight Scintillate Catching it was one thing, it started to move as she lunged for it, but she was able to correct for it in time, biting hard at the skin behind it's neck. It started to try to escape, twisting in an attempt to get away. She tasted something wet, and very warm, in her mouth. It was bleeding. If she maintained her composure enough to turn to Nova for instructions, she'd see that he was impressed, "You caught it! Now you-" "Kill it." Nova was cut off by Turning landing nearby. The teacher also seemed slightly impressed, but it was clear by his expression that she was being evaluated. Nova seemed cowed by Turing's presence, so he couldn't give her advice on how to do it.

(OOC Thread: https://mlpforums.com/topic/198041-another-cultural-exchange/page/3/) @Skylight Scintillate It was cold, dark, and quiet in the Shimmerwood forest, which suited the thestrals that called it home just fine. Most of them, that was. Nova had always thought that the forest was a little too cold, too dark, and too quiet, and had made it his mission in life to correct at least one of those things, as was in his power. At the present, he was sat at the edge of the clearing where the road through the forest entered the area where the clan had built their houses in the trees above. This was the road where the mail was delivered by the carrier, to then be distributed to those in the clan who had business receiving mail, and today Nova hoped to be one of those ponies, as he had hoped every day since he first sent in his application to the cultural exchange. This was something everyone in the clan was well aware of, given Nova's propensity to tell anyone who came close enough for him to engage in conversation, leading many to simply avoid the colt, lest they risk being chosen as his new conversation partner. At the moment, he was simply talking to himself, thinking of all the possible creatures he could be paired with, and all the possible places they could be from, compiling an exhaustive list of them and ranking them as he went in an effort to figure out which possibility he was MOST excited for. Unfortunately, he wasn't very methodical about it, so often had the same combination come up for evaluation, and would frequently lose track of where he was, thus needing to start over. When he stopped, those who had grown used to the chatter turned to see who, or what, they ought to thank for their relief from the noise. They found their relief momentary as Nova cheered: "He's here! The mail is here!" The mailpony was well used to Nova's antics, and was happy to see Nova this time, "Well look who it is, how are you doing Nova?" "Do you have a letter for me?" The mailpony raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't answer my question." Nova shook his head, "Of course it does, if you have a letter for me then I'm doing great! Otherwise... I'm okay I guess." The mailpony chuckled, "Well, today you're in luck, because I do have a letter for you!" Nova bounced in place as he waited for the mailpony to retrieve his letter, snatching it from his hoof as soon as it was clear of the bag, his smile somehow growing wider as he saw who it was from, "YES! IT CAME! Thank you mister mailpony!" He then took off back towards his home without waiting for the mailpony to respond, who simply chuckled to themselves as they went about putting the rest of the clan's mail into the proper recepticles. Nova wasted no time showing the letter to his mother, indicating that he had been accepted to the cultural exchange program and paired with a bat pony in Canterlot, a combination he had not considered in his earlier list. He had heard of bat ponies living in Canterlot from his father who worked there, but he never thought they would be interested in something like this given how disinterested everyone here had been. Still, with his mother's help, he set out to write his introductory letter: Dear Scotia, Hiya! I'm Nova Fastar, I live in the Fastar clan's primary settlement in the heart of the Shimmerwood forest west of Las Pegasus, north of Archback, and south of Griffonstone. I'm a thestral pony, which is like a bat pony, but more bat-like I guess? I don't have my mark yet, but most of the other thestrals my age don't either, so I'm not worried. I hope it will be for something cool, like adventuring, even if my teachers say I should focus on more useful skills like woodworking. Anyway, I'm excited to get to know you and learn what it's like living in Canterlot! I've heard so much about it from my dad, he's the head of the Canterlot City Night Guard, maybe you've met him already? Excitedly, Nova Given his speed and excitement, he was able to get the written letter back to the mailpony before they left the clearing, ensuring that he would get a response at the earliest possible opportunity. Much to the chagrin of the other members of the clan, he seemed intent to wait by the mailbox again for said response to arrive. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scotia would receive a notification from the Cultural Exchange program stating her acceptance and informing her that she had been paired with Nova Fastar, a young thestral colt from the Fastar Clan. It would instruct her to watch for a letter from him and to respond in kind when it arrives. She would receive receive Nova's letter the very next day.

@@Blitz Boom (OOC Thread) It had been a rather normal day for Null and Void, for once they were beginning to feel, something, in this town of theirs. Acceptance, maybe a sense of belonging? Whatever it was, they finally felt like they didn't need to be so on the run anymore. The two of them sat on a hill that overlooked the town at sunset, it was a truly tranquil moment. Void was peacefully asleep in the grass while Null was up, keeping watch, she thought to herself, an old habit from a time now further behind them. Null found herself doing something she had not done in a very long time, smiling. It wasn't a big one to be certain, in fact anyone who didn't know her would never even know she was smiling, but she knew it in her heart. It was at that very moment, the minuscule moment when she let her guard down, when it all went wrong. Though honestly one can't exactly prepare for a large portal opening in front of them. Less for what they saw on the other side. Through the portal was a room, so white it almost gleamed, though that was secondary to the all too familiar looking grey robed figures that dashed through it, and the pair of darts that struck the two of them. Void, having only barely been woken up by the portal quickly fell back asleep as the dart, a purely chemical rather than magical reaction, did it's job. Null did not fare much better as the Grey enforcers subdued her drugged form using her own weak points against her. Whoever had sent them clearly knew them well. She was only vaguely aware that some sort of harness was strapped around her midsection, a powerful humming, then darkness. ... A. Clave Bunsen scratched his small beard thoughtfully as he watched the enforcers drag his newest test subjects to the portal. He had heard of their rare abilities to nullify even the most powerful of magics, and knew the benefit it would bring to all of Equis if it could be replicated. The only problem was getting them to his lab. Which is where the portal came in, but bringing non magical creatures through a magical portal? That was what he was testing. The harnesses were designed as a counter, a shield specifically against anti-magic called the Re-Generator. And here was it's first test. Whether said field could contain the reversed field long enough to get them through? As the enforcers dragged the limp bodies, now much heavier due to the harnesses, the portal seemed to shimmer as the field came near, in the center it started to waver rather drastically, but it held long enough before finally snapping closed. Bunsen smiled as he looked down at the smoking harnesses around the two mares now in his lab. Sure it had bisected two of the enforcers and left another pair very deep in Equestrian territory, but he had his prize. Some time later... Null and Void wake up in another stark white room strapped down barrel up to exam tables with their legs, and wing in the case of Null spread out.

@@Blitz Boom Here's the OOC thread, you already know the premise. Null and Void have been abducted by a secret science organization, now they look to escape. Here's the RP Thread!