Illiad Easle

(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.

@Evil Pink One @Blitz Boom @Props Valroa Well, I don't really have anything planned for here until they make the final jump. Then I have a few ideas. There is one idea I could move up, but that would mostly just involve @Props Valroa, and it wouldn't be fair to do a story with them without having something for the other two to participate in as well. So, any suggestions? Events or problems that we can confront? Have our characters overcome?

@Evil Pink One Blu snorted as he moved to take Alpha's place on the radio, the message was more important than whatever she was dealing with. "Listen. Do NOT trust agent Beta, we have reason to believe that she has been compromised. Repeat, Do NOT trust agent Beta, we have reason to believe that she has been compromised." He took a breath, and barring any interruption would continue, "I am Blu, Starlight assigned Alpha and I to look for survivors in Smile outposts. At Ghastly Gorge I witnessed a meeting between some of what I believe are the leaders of our enemies. One of them, I believe you'd call it an alicorn, I managed to disable, kill not confirmed, two survivors recovered. Alpha and one of the survivors have been infected. On return to base we discovered that Ponyville has been entirely removed. Observation indicates that the city has been teleported, with no sign as to where." He would wait for a response.

@Evil Pink One (Blu) Blu would follow Alpha into the coms room, curious to see what this world had in terms of long distance communications. He would not have been surprised if it were just a set of telegraphs, though given the earpiece that had led them here he hoped for something a bit more advanced. "If you can get a message out, we should warn them about Beta. Even if you don't trust what Cozy said, we shouldn't bet everyone's lives on her being wrong. If Beta has been compromised, or replaced, the others should know to be wary of communication coming from her, or someone who claims to be her." If the technology present was sufficiently powerful, Blu would look into seeing if he could work something similar to what he had done with the earpiece, and see which direction any other earpieces were with respect to the tower. A large grouping of them would given them an idea of which direction a haven might be. (Fuoco) She shook her head, "Just pondering how different I am from the rest of you. I'm... jealous... that you all were able to grow up in a world that allowed you to be soft, to be so ill-prepared for all of this." It was clear by her tone that she truly was envious of their position. There was a bit of... something positive... within her that her efforts might allow some ponies the ability to continue to be soft, rather than be hardened by the horrors they would experience without her protection. Fuoco would move closer, "That's good? What are they saying?"

@Blitz Boom (Null) Mongoose's animalistic laugh repeated, "Fair enough." There was a pause from Mongoose's end, which aligned with Briar looking away from the changelings as they told him their portion. Then Briar nodded. "If you want Basher caught the moment he sets hoof in the Stacked Deck, he wants half of what you offered your assistants. If you want him to leave the tower and hunt him down... he wants their full portion, and for them to be cut out of the deal. You can compensate them for their time thusfar, but he won't leave the tower if there are others involved. He also warns that he doesn't deal with hostages. Should Basher take one to try and delay my host... they will likely die." "That's not as big an issue if you take the first deal, since the rejuvenation magic of this place will fix that, and Basher won't have much time to take a hostage here before my host can get to them." "I think you're rushing this, and taking a bad deal just to finish the job faster won't endear you much to Vengeance. Handing the job off to another means that Vengeance will more likely give them the next mission, rather than trusting you. Vengeance doesn't just care that the bounty is fulfilled, but how you go about fulfilling it, in order to decide what bounties you can be trusted with going forward." She might notice that Briar was looking right at her, or at least right were she was standing. If she moved, there would be a delay before his gaze moved to follow her. The changelings may also notice this as Basher idly taps on a sheet, waiting for an answer. (Hotel) Mongoose would get a message in his blindfold: 'Contact lost with agents Yannit and Craven in the Stacked Deck, presently MIA. The reported pegasus gathering has dispersed. Available agents are requested to seek evidence of the missing agents' survival or demise, 1 year reward for recovered information.' It was followed by a less formal message: 'Not to be insensitive or pessimistic, but given the circumstances, they may not be returning. You have my condolences. - WARD' Mongoose hadn't been in the Grey long, but unless an agent was outside the city, where there was antimagic to disrupt the signal or drain the enchantments, contact lost typically meant that they had been killed. (Void) Vale blushed a bit, but did not deny it. She nodded, and confirmed that she'd be there at the appointed time to help before returning her attention to Eironn as Void left. The next morning Void would find that Toupé was already up when she arrived, which was earlier than usual for her. She had some paper in front of her where she had tried to draw her mark, but given the awkward angle and her own lack of drawing skills it didn't come out quite right. She didn't seem concerned by that though, as she had taken to writing below it, it seemed like she was trying out new names. If Void were quiet, she'd be able to read a few before Toupé noticed her. Most of the names seemed to feature the word Gemini or Powers in some way, with Powers seeming to come up more frequently. The last two on the list, that Toupé seemed to be stuck between, were Perceptive Powers, and Gemini Pi. If Void was too loud coming in, Toupé would put the paper away before Void could see it.

@StrawberryMilk Simp Otho raised an eyebrow at that, "Mutated as they are? I doubt it's safe for consumption. Probably full of Thaum." Otho spared a glance before shrugging, "Maybe? Hard to tell." Once he returned from the office he would lead the way to their room, adjacent to the one the gryphon appeared to be guarding. He looked annoyed, but did not address them unless spoken to. If Kuya followed Otho into the room, he'd be able to hear some faint speaking through the wall. Listening closely, he wouldn't be able to make out everything they were saying, but he'd be able to pick out the words Courier, Chip, House, and Pegas. @GeneralDirection "Red?" the receptionist looked concerned, "Sure, she's passed through here before, but not recently. I did overhear some of those griffons who just checked in talking about a courier though, maybe they know something? You room is right next to theirs." She chuckled, "They wanted to have no neighbors, but there's only so much I can do when two more groups show up." If they went to their room, the griffon standing outside the adjacent room looked annoyed, but would not address them unless spoken to. If they went inside their room they'd hear some faint speaking through the wall. Listening closely, they wouldn't be able to make out everything they were saying, but they'd be able to pick out the words Courier, Chip, Kill, and Boulder. @Props Valroa The leader shrugged as he led the way over to their campsite, it wasn't much and looked to have been recently assembled, indicating that the attack that had filled the city with spawn had been fairly recent. "There's no end to the small gangs and tribe around this area, but most of them keep to themselves and only attack those passing through what they consider their territory. Outside of them though, and the Empire and the Legion, I guess the casino heads? They're the group that runs New Pegas out of the four central casinos. There are rumors that they've had creatures eliminated before for posing a danger to them, nothing that could be traced back to them of course, but considering just how much money they have at their disposal, they're worth paying attention to, if only to ensure you don't get on their bad side." If she didn't have other questions, she'd be given a sleeping bag and a place inside one of the tents to spend the night.

@Evil Pink One (Blu) Blu frowned, "Let's keep the personal attacks to a minimum going forward, okay? If it doesn't advance our objectives, keep it to yourself. That being said, our primary objective now is getting back in contact with Starlight, or if she is incapacitated, whoever would be in charge after her. Secondary objectives, gathering any supplies we can use to protect ourselves. We don't know how far we're going to have to travel, nor what dangers we'll encounter, so we want to be prepared for anything." Blu would continue following the path set by the line. "Let's make for the tower today, take shelter there for the night and figure out where we should head next. Since it is already fallen, hopefully it won't be too conspicuous, and we'll be able to rest well tonight before traveling fresh in the morning." (Fuoco) Fuoco was inwardly unimpressed that only three had apparently fallen. She hoped that it was just those who had fallen recently, and others had been honored already, because if they were all that had fallen, and the rest were this depressed by it, they knew nothing about the horrors of survival. She'd personally seen ten times that number fall before she had been overrun in her final battle, and twice that number before them in the days leading up to it. She subtly shook off those thoughts, some ponies simply weren't prepared for battle like she was. These ponies were a softer sort, who had never needed to know the hardships she had, and that ought to be appreciated, not derided. She nodded, "I've done my part for the night. I'll be ready to guard the rear of our retreat in the morning."

@Blitz Boom (Null) Ninja looked intrigued, rather than angry, seemingly having already moved on from the discovery. There was a pause as he looked in the direction of where Null had stopped before he wrote another note: 'How much?' It was clear he was asking what the reward was, and not just generally wanting to know how much the Grey Mare wanted Basher in alive. The new voice laughed, or made a noise that Null could only assume was a laugh. It was more animalistic in tone, higher pitched, like a weasel or fox. "If you were, you'd need to try much harder, like attacking from a distance while unseen. But don't think I won't be keeping an eye on you, now that I know what you sound like." Nine spoke up, "More accurately, Vengeance has a bounty on Basher, and we've been assigned it. We've enlisted the local Grey's help in securing him." The other seemed thoughtful, "Now that is interesting... Well, I think my host would be willing to offer their services, much more skilled than these changelings you have now. But he'll want a sizeable portion of the reward, especially since live captures isn't really his MO. But I think we can agree to leave you and Basher alone if you'd rather do it yourself." Nine spoke up again, "No, I'm still here. She's outside your head, speaking to you by vibrating your ear directly. She can hear me because shadows like us can interact on a different level." The other continued, "You can call me Mongoose if you like. And I'd be surprised if you did know how we work. Many smart ponies have tried and failed to understand our kind over the years. We're just different. A sort of magical wonder if you will." "Personally? I'd like for us to get back to work with Vengeance. Whether it is under the Grey or Vengeance directly is immaterial to me, I just want us back on track working off all this debt, rather than racking it up accidentally killing those who don't deserve it. I would like us to help you, but it's not my decision to make. Again, my host is too proud to seek forgiveness, or apply to join the Grey. But if the Grey Mare were convinced to come ask him to join... or if you asked him to help you... I think he would go for it. But if you'd rather we stayed out of it, I'm sure he would agree without issue." Nine responded. "Though now that that others have told him that Vengeance wants Basher alive... He might go after him himself to try and get the full bounty." Mongoose shook her head, and Null wasn't sure how she knew that, "If Vengeance has given the bounty to you, he won't get in the way of that. He wants to gain favor, and poaching a bounty is not the way to do it." (Void) Vale looked thoughtful, before nodding. "If I had more time, I could probably make something extra special with that in mind, but as is I think I can get something good by tomorrow. Maybe next year I'll get her what I have in mind." She raised an eyebrow, "Does she intend to celebrate the anniversary in lieu of her birthday? I assume so, given we don't know when their birthdays are, or does she not know that part of the tradition?" Vale nodded, "I'll come in while the others are at school to give you some time to focus on setting up. That much should be doable. Would an hour before they get back be enough time?" Gypsum simply nodded, "This one has much to prepare, many ideas run about in her head. A good lesson, yes. Gypsum hopes she will be able to provide the information the pups need." Gypsum didn't have anything to ask of her, and was already turning to head away from her house in the direction of the library, seemingly with the purpose of preparing a last minute lesson adjustment. (Looks like we just need to finish up with Vale, then we can start the next school day, which I'll actually have some interesting info to teach the ponies in the class.)

@Props Valroa @Blitz Boom @StrawberryMilk Simp (The Lab) For Blitz, the canister was no easier to lift than she might have guessed. The material within not really reacting to her magic. However, it did feel different to hold in her magic, almost like touching Power himself did, or if she had ever hid to carry something charged with magical energy. Power would ask, "Well, it didn't explode, does it feel easier? harder? what can you tell?" (Outside) Given the eagerness of the veterans to not remain on the surface any longer than necessary, the breakdown of camp went faster than expected, and quicker too. Meaning that everything had been sent up before breakfast the next morning. Plein had managed to secure a tent to herself with Brittle, and while Plein had briefly considered going out exploring anyway, and said as much to Brittle, she ultimately did not. Unfortunately the two of them didn't get much time to talk that night, but they decided to make a stronger effort to reconnect when back on the Project, hopefully before they returned to Equis. (Light, Last, and Maud) Light was brought up with those agreeing to guard him as soon as they received word that an area was ready, making him one of the last things to return to the Project. The three of them were led to a secure area of the science sector, where they'd be able to continue their conversation.

@Evil Pink One (Blu) Blu simply raised an eyebrow as Alpha approached, "So, you're back. Did you find anything?" Blu didn't seem dissuaded, "If this is leading to Smile, that's a good thing, if it leads somewhere else, even more interesting. If they are tracking location, then they'll know we're coming, so, for safety let's assume we're being watched as we travel, and keep an eye out." Blu would hold the device such that the line was clearly visible, asking Alpha, "Supposing this is leading us to a tower, about how far away is it? Is there even one in this direction?" (Fuoco) Fuoco looked thoughtful before nodding. "It's a sound plan, but likely best if I didn't lead, as I don't know where we're going. I think my talents would work best at the rear, bolstering those at the back of the evacuation and guarding the rear. Even better if I can be pulled on a cart, I play best when I don't have to also move." She pulled out her flute and moved towards the middle of the gathering, "For now though..." She sat down to play another tune, one that, although melancholic in tone, served to bolster those who could hear it. It wouldn't raise their spirits so much as it would bolster their resolve. It wasn't a tune of celebration, but of confidence. It would also speed their natural healing and energy recovery, as before. It wasn't a long song, only a few minutes, then Fuoco would stop and return to her seat. "Come morning, we should all be ready to move. In fact, we should probably start before the sun rises, if at all possible."

The sun touches the horizon, the spawn are growing more active. @StrawberryMilk Simp Otho shook his head, "There's a path that goes around. They only stop the caravans here. Since we're not carrying much they shouldn't care." True enough, the guards in the camp didn't seem to pay them any mind, if they even noticed them. Soon after, they were out of the canyon and approaching a small collection of houses. Otho led the way past a small field with some strange looking cows, many of which had two heads, to a larger building with a large sculpture of a dragon. "We can rest here for the night, and those we're following are also likely resting here, or nearby, if you want to investigate. I'll get us a room." Otho would head to the motel office, leaving Kuya behind in the courtyard. A griffon stood against one of the railings in front of one of the rooms on the second floor. (Depending on @GeneralDirection's actions) A pair of younger ponies, stable dwellers by the looks of them, also approached the motel. They lacked the confidence that Otho had, indicating that they were less used to the environment. @GeneralDirection The old mare smiled, "I figured you would. I'll bring that right out for ya, then you can get on to Nova before night falls." She took the bits and was back with the armor, which was clean and folded, in a few minutes. "Ya'll travel safely now, and don't hesitate to come back if you need anything, or if you have more loot to sell." If they proceeded towards town, they would arrive at just about the same time that Kuya and Otho did, but from the other side, circling around the back of the motel and passing a rundown shack. If they went around to the front of the motel, they'd see Kuya standing in the courtyard, Otho heading into the office, and the griffon standing against the railing on the second floor. If one of them went to rent a room, following Otho, the receptionist, a middle aged mare, would comment that it was a busy night, with three groups coming in all at once, and that Nebel and Nightfall were lucky to get the last room they had available. She seemed open to conversation, if they were inclined, or they could talk to anyone else they had seen. @Props Valroa The one in charge shrugged, "We've only just encountered them recently. Apparently they claim to be a continuation of Equestria, and as such everything that once belonged to Equestria is theirs, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to take it back. They're not stupid though, and they have some pretty high quality stuff, so when they do attack, it's usually with overwhelming force. Best not to get mixed up with them if you can avoid it." He looked thoughtful, turning his eyes skyward, "Hmm, it is getting late, or I'd send you to Nipton or Nova, being the next two closest towns. Sure, you can join us in our camp tonight, if you don't mind sleeping on the ground we've got a spare bag, and that same place is where you can drop off anything you find in the city. At least one person is at the camp at all times to receive whatever you find and reimburse you accordingly."

@Blitz Boom (Null) Nine would give her a warning, "I wouldn't get too close... I feel... something here..." Ninja didn't seem convinced by the answer. Lightning fast a dark tendril passed a hair's width from her face, snatching the blindfold and pinning it to the table with a dagger. The message conveyed there was clear enough, he knew that they were Grey agents. Also... "He has a shadow too. very stealthy. Likely how he gets around unnoticed. I would guess former Grey, a highly trusted officer who betrayed. Not like we can ask." "Found you!" Null was aware of another voice in her head, it sounded more feminine than Nine's though it had that same strange quality to it. "And well, you're partially right. My host was loyal to Gray over Vengeance, so when Gray left, we followed. Despite the new Grey, we remain. Vengeance will no doubt pardon us, given our skills, but my host is far too stubborn to seek forgiveness." So they had some more information, shared by the Ninja's helpful shadow. (Void) Vale looked nostalgic as she nodded, "I remember when I first saw the Path... it's not something you soon forget. Still, it's good that she has some guidance as to her path in life. I wonder how soon the others will get theirs, given Toupé has shown that it is possible?" Vale nodded, "I'll be sure to be there then. Is there something I can do to help, some gift I could prepare? I understand that that is typically how ponies celebrate their marks is it not?" Gypsum nodded, "Yes, this one remembers you. You care for Elef, Teal, and Toupé, yes?" Gypsum looked intrigued, but a bit unsure, "Hmm... This dog knows not the pony ways. I could speak of diamond dog tradition, or maybe... Woof! I could sniff out a pony who wishes to share their custom, yes?" (Trying some different ways to generate the diamond dog speaking pattern)

@Evil Pink One (Blu) Blu didn't even consider asking Alpha, he was only really asking in case someone knew it might be dangerous, "No worries then, we have a lead to follow." Blu would close up the Kernel and prep his stuff for moving, intending on following the thread wherever it might lead, unless Alpha came back with word as to any hints Starlight might have left. He didn't call out to her either, figuring that she'd come back one she'd found something. If she decided to keep her distance, or withhold information, she was only harming her perceived usefulness, which was already held in low esteem by Blu. It would take him about fifteen minutes to get ready to move, at which point he would start traveling. (Fuoco) Fuoco looked concerned when she saw the glum nature of the room, she spoke discretely to Gruit, "We beat the largest hoard you've all seen and you're not celebrating? How many did we lose?"

@Evil Pink One You good to jump ahead a little bit?

@Skylight Scintillate Alright, just turned in my last assignment, but I'm about to visit family for Christmas and new years. If you're still willing to do the RP we discussed, I can start it up once I get back after new years.

@Blitz Boom I didn't say you missed the Blitz part, I said you missed the Brittle part.

The shadows grow longer, it would be wise to seek shelter. @StrawberryMilk Simp Otho nodded, "Sound reasoning, it seems I misjudged you earlier." As he started to head in the direction of the three they were pursuing, "I don't think we'll be able to catch up to them before they reach Nova, not at the speed they were going and as weak as you are from the antimagic. And after they leave Nova it will be deep in NLR territory. Much more dangerous to attack them there, even if the NLR and Talons aren't on good terms. But maybe we'll get lucky in Nova." Following the trail, they would soon approach a makeshift camp, where Otho would caution, "If I remember correctly, that's an NLR outpost. They shouldn't cause trouble if we don't look suspicious." The camp made use of piles of debris, including a number of old carts, to make walls and elevated walkways, giving the rangers within a good vantage of those approaching. @GeneralDirection The mare chuckled at that, "Well this ain't power armor. anything able to protect you is going to weigh something, and that weight is going to slow you down. That's the price you pay for protection." Seeing as they probably weren't going to buy anything the mare would get up from her chair, "Well, I best be getting to bed. You two too I reckon. Nova's just up the road there, they've got a motel you can spend the night in. Should have some rooms available if you're lucky." If they did decide to buy the armor, the mare would produce a set of reinforced cloth armor. a bit more durable than the vault suit Nightfall had, and much less conspicuous, without weighing her down too much more. @Props Valroa (A bit hard to parse what exactly you want to happen in your post. I hope I interpreted it right.) The one in charge would look to see what she was referring to, before nodding, "Ah, that there is a place they call Helios. I don't rightly know what it is, but I've heard that it's built right over a ley line, and it's capable of distributing magical energy throughout the whole area. I hear they want to modify it to better regulate the movement of the sun. I'm sure you've noticed how erratic it can be? We suspect the Legion might have something they're using to move the sun, or the Solar Empire. But that's all theories above my pay grade. If you know something about pre-war magics, they might be able to use your help there." With regards to who it belongs to, "Well, we control it, for now. We had to fight off a bunch of heavily armed and armored ponies for it, called themselves the Sisterhood of Steam. They haven't been seen around here since then. But it's not like the Legion or the Empire is going to just let us keep it. That's why protecting these border areas, even when they've been destroyed, is important."

@Evil Pink One @Blitz Boom @Props Valroa Hmmm.... Looking at all the categories, it doesn't look like I really have anywhere to input at the moment. @Blitz Boom forgot to respond to the Brittle prompt, so I don't have anything there to say. I realize that the Plein/Brittle pairing is the only thing really keeping them from just all going back up immediately. Do we just want to bring everyone up immediately and just move on? @Props Valroa I need some more detail on the stuff that Power synthesized. Given what you said before it should act just as a source of energy, right? It shouldn't otherwise affect magic cast on it, but rather one can draw energy from it to cast spells?

@Evil Pink One (Blu) Blu only half listened to what else Cozy had to say, maintaining his attention on the Kernel's results for the device. When the translucent thread was revealed, he smiled, "Looks like we have a lead." He would draw Cozy's attention to the thread, "Does this look familiar? You think it might lead us somewhere worthwhile?" (Fuoco) Fuoco was feeling better by then, not fully healed, but enough to not need more rest at the moment, "Yeah, food sounds nice." She would move to follow Misty wherever she led her, hopefully to food.

@Blitz Boom (Null) Ninja Briar led the trio through a door hidden in the shadow of a corner, into a small office. The walls were lined with weapons of all kinds, and a tally of sorts, maybe kills? It seemed to be the right number given what Nine had said. Once inside the room, the ninja took a seat behind the desk and pulled down the hood they hadn't realized he was wearing, revealing that he wore a blindfold and scarf in the Grey style. He removed those too, showing that one of his eyes was blinded, and his mouth was heavily scarred. It seemed more likely now that he was incapable of speech, rather than simply choosing silence. He wrote out a note quickly, and with impeccable hoofwriting, which said: 'How did you know about the pegasi?' It seemed clear that they would regret not answering. They would also find that, in this room, they could not contact Watch or Ward through their blindfolds. (Hotel) Arcade and Ardee nodded, the former with more resolve than the latter, with Ardee returning to her room. (I don't have other events planned for the hotel portion... for now.) (Void) The buck nodded, "That's right, but I don't think we've formally met, so I'm not surprised you don't remember my name. It's Eironn." (Pronounced Aaron) Introductions made he kindly stood aside to let Void and Vale talk privately. Vale looked surprised, "Really? Thats... well that's good news! I..." she looked a bit sheepish, "I must admit I don't really know much about what ought to be done in this case. Deer and Reindeer don't really have a comparison, unless..." She seemed to have had an idea, "Going by ages, that's about when bucks grow their first horns, or when does first see the path!" (Given deer in real life get their first horns after one year, and live to be about 6, we can say that these deer living as long as humans get their horns starting about 1/6th of their life or 10-14) Vale shrugged, "So yeah, a major milestone then, but I guess Cervidian traditions wouldn't likely apply here, given she neither had her first magic nor got a vision of her future. I'll let you handle the celebrations then. I'm looking forward to it!" She sighed, "I wish I could be around them more often, but given how good a job you're doing I can't really justify not continuing my efforts on the other projects. It's not like there is anyone else who can do my job, you know?" (You can continue talking to Vale or move on, using my Gypsum info from my previous post)

@Blitz Boom (Null) "We'll just need to practice. For now I'll keep who you're searching for specific, and only switch it when you consciously decide to switch targets, rather than letting it shift based on who you're looking for at the moment." (You didn't respond to this last part, so I'll repeat it again here.) It seemed that the Host was safe, for now, but he didn't seem concerned by the message they had. They wouldn't have long to consider it before they found themselves facing the ninja they had been looking for, his presence seemingly deafening the party around them, and no others noticing his presence. He motioned, silently, for them to follow him. And implied, with his eyebrows alone, that they would regret not following him. (Hotel) The stored message said pretty much the same thing that Ardee had relayed, setting a time and place for training, the time being tonight and the place being the roof. Ardee looked surprised to see that the message was preserved. "Yeah, he mentioned that the fox had run off with his first message." Returning to the previous question, Arcade shrugged, "Honestly? Not sure. I mean, he doesn't give off the vibe the researchers did, but that's our only real metric for gauging ponies. We haven't exactly had many opportunities to need to be wary of ponies before. I figured that was your job?" It is worth noting that none of the changeling staff had seen this pegasus before he showed up on the roof earlier today. None remembered seeing him anyway, but that didn't mean too much, just that they hadn't had reason to notice him before. So he might be new in town, but at the very least had not yet done anything to harm changelings. (Void) Toupé blushed a bit at it being called out, "I... I wasn't sure. I mean, the coat was designed to wear it like this, but Mistress rarely did it, so I wasn't sure if it was appropriate? I know everypony else doesn't usually wear clothes, but I feel more exposed than I'm used to." Her confidence would grow seeing as Void didn't scold her or look disappointed for it. While Vale wasn't in her apartment if Void went to look there first, she would encounter her on the street outside the building, accompanied by a buck that she might recognize as the one who had come to get his wooden leg cut by Null, or if she wasn't aware of that, he had also been the receptionist at the hospital when she had gone in to have her eye fixed when they first got back from the Gates of Tartarus. Even if she didn't recognize him, he would recognize her, but he wouldn't intrude unless addressed, leaving her and Vale to talk. Vale looked a bit embarrassed to be caught on the street with someone, "Oh! Um, hi Void. Is everything alright with the young ones?" Void had been given the addresses of their teachers in case she needed to reach out to them directly, so she would be able to find Gypsum's modest apartment near the wall. The area seemed to have a pretty high diamond dog population compared to the rest of the city. Gypsum would be asleep though, unless Void came by in the morning before waking up the young ponies, in the which case she would catch Gypsum getting back from a run, panting, "Gypsum greets you, how can this one help?"

@Props Valroa I would say the same way that America became the NCR, in that technically, they didn't, but their descendants who survived by living in Deep Science Vaults, and were brought up learning Trojan ideals, eventually came together with local survivors to form the NLR as a fusion of what they liked from Trojan history, as well as new ideas from experience in the wasteland. They are comparable to Troy with regards to some of their philosophies, such that they believe all sentient creatures should be treated with respect and that no creature is inherently more valuable/capable than any other creature, but they are less hostile towards Equestrian lineage and don't have the same respect for the dead that Troy had. Troy was a secret from the period of Nightmare Moon to a few years after Nightmare Moon's return. It helped that this was during a period where travel was expensive, no one questioned Celestia, and Troy was far away from the other Equestrian cities. After Troy's rebellion during Nightmare Moon Celestia announced that Troy had been destroyed. No one thought to question her, so no one went to check if it were true. Those who were curious enough to ask were sent to Eponsilon, which was destroyed during the Trojan fight for independence, so their curiosity was sated. As Equestria renewed it's expansion into the Mild West with Dodge, Appaloosa, and Las Pegasus, Equestrians were once again exposed to Troy, but being confronted with the revelation that their leader had lied to them, or that their history books were wrong, gave them enough pause to not want to spread the news around. Troy was fine with this arrangement, as after being cut off from Equestria they strengthened their ties with the other nations, like Cervidas, Zebrica, and Gryphonia, and their culture being influenced by Changelings led to an isolationist doctrine. In short, Troy remained a secret because no one dared to call Celestia out on it, information takes too long to spread with the technology they had, and Troy didn't much care to make themselves known to Equestria. The Solar Empire is enemies with the NLR. The Solar Empire asserts that all of what was once Equestria belongs to them, and that all who oppose them are trespassing and must be eliminated so that true Equestrians can once again inhabit the land. The NLR asserts that all creatures ought to be able to choose who will lead them, and that Equestria is dead and as such its lands available to others. Discord's Legion wants to see everything brought down. Discord's original plan was to destroy Troy and Equestria so that new, better, civilizations could rise from the ashes to take their place. (Essentially things had grown stagnant before so no progress was being made.) Now that the table has been flipped and new pieces are being set up, Discord has left the scene content, but those who worshipped him think the work is unfinished, and so are continuing without his help or guidance. It was Troy's weapons that destroyed the Crystal Empire, yes. But the NLR can hardly be held accountable for that. Still, it is reasonable that Carnelian would hold a grudge.

The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows on the ground. @StrawberryMilk Simp Otho nodded, "Now you're starting to have good ideas. Let's let them pass us though, don't want them to think we're following, or about to ambush them." Otho quickly moved to where an old firepit had been on the side of the road, and made a show like he was about to light it, like they were setting up camp for the night. So long as Kuya played along, or at least did not draw attention to himself, the pony and the pair of gryphons would pass them without paying them much notice. Still, the two would be able to see that the trio looked on edge, and were not wholly unscathed. They looked like they had just escaped a battle, or were actively escaping one. Otho would wait until they were just out of sight before he started moving to follow. "Heavy griffons like that leave big tracks, especially running like that." He pointed to the tracks in the dusty ground, "Won't be hard to follow them, but given the hour? I think they're heading to Nova." Otho would start to follow the trail they had left, "Still want to follow them?" @GeneralDirection The old mare looked over what they had to sell, "Got these off some raiders didya? I guess you too are tougher than you look." She offered what sounded like a fair price for the items. It would be more than enough to secure lodging in the next town for the night, and then some. Given they had lived in a stable all their lives, it was more money than they had ever had at one point before. When it came to what she had for sale, it was a little bit of everything, but nothing too exciting or special, mostly things similar to what they were selling her that had no doubt also been scavenged off of others. She did have a good amount of ammo for their weapons if they wanted to top off, as well as some armor that looked like it would fit Nightfall pretty well, though it would cut in to their extra funds. The old mare also indicated that she could tune up their weapons for a small fee. @Props Valroa The group adjusted their course to approach Carnelian when waved to, allowing her to better examine the uniforms they were wearing. While they had clearly seen better days, the uniforms fit them well, indicating that they weren't stolen, so it was pretty likely that these were NLR soldiers. When asked who they were the leader commented the same, that they were NLR soldiers assigned to this area, but that Discord's Legion had set off a powerful Anti-Magic bomb in the city, killing many of the soldiers who had been stationed there when a herd of spawn soon followed. the leader's group had been lucky enough to be on patrol when the event occurred. He pointed to a small collection of tents on a bluff overlooking the clouded city, indicating that there was where they were camped if she needed anything. When asked what was about in the area, the leader repeated that the greatest dangers here with the spawn in the city, and the Legion, indicating that they were far more dangerous than the raiders around here. If she asked who the Legion were, the leader would look surprised before answering that the Legion were remnants of a much larger group that claimed to have followed Discord in the before times. They believed that by destroying all civilization they were doing Discord's will. If she asked about joining or helping them, the leader would think for a moment, "Well, if you're volunteering to join the NLR, you'll want to talk with our leaders at the old airship station in New Pegas. If you just want to help though..." He saw the suit she was carrying and he looked surprised, "Is that a proper hazmat suit? With that you'd be able to enter the city without being affected by the antimagic. If you'd be willing to go into the city and collect some of the materials we had to leave behind. Food, weapons, ammo, pretty much anything useful, we've got some sand dollars to reward you with. Up to you though, the spawn may not be smart, but they are dangerous in large numbers." (Carnelian will have a bonus to stealth in the antimagic cloud, but will be unable to use weapons relying on magic while in the city.)

@Evil Pink One (Blu) (You just have Edit void where I assume you would put Alpha's responses) Blu rolled his eyes, "And I assume you just took Beta's word that the ODT was controlling the princess? You never noticed anything before Beta told you?" He shook his head, "Regardless, that's not your fault. You trusted Beta, and probably had good reason to. Her misleading you shouldn't be held against you." His interest was piqued though by the device he was presented with, "Now that is something I can work with." He quickly cleared a small area before opening the Kernel, setting it up to analyze the device Cozy had given him. Unless it was especially strange in it's construction, Blu would soon know how it worked, whether it was magical or technological in origin, and if he could use it to somehow reverse the connection, and find where the messages had come from. He wasn't terribly confident in that last option, but he could hope. (Fuoco) Fuoco raised an eyebrow when Misty didn't answer her other question. "You didn't answer about Starlight. I can handle it if we still haven't heard anything, or if we've gotten bad news." In regards to the healing, she stretched out her neck, before pointing to her throat. "You should be able to find my throat node around here, where my vocal chords are. Those might be damaged too. But I think just rejuvenating the node should be enough for now, if you can do that." Fuoco would grow more concerned that no other news came for them, but wouldn't comment on it. Given what she had seen, she figured that everything was fine, and they wanted her to rest. Surely, they'd tell her if something needed to happen.

@Blitz Boom (Null) (I was going to say that the name was an oversight, but I came up with another reason why The Host might know her real name.) Nine would speak up, "Sorry, the Scarf only hides you from those you aren't seeking, making you impossible to ignore by those you are trying to find. So, since you were trying to find the Host, he was able to see you, and pick you out of the crowd. I should have reminded you, sorry. But you're right, it is strange that he knows your real name." The Hose scoffed, but in a pleasant way, "It's always safe here. You don't have to worry about a thing." He motioned back towards the party with his snout, "So why don't I let you get back to it. Looks like you were about to settle in before I interrupted. Though there was a reason why I came over here... hmmm..." he tapped his chin, "Ah, that's right, I wanted to say something to that little friend of yours. The Dragons still want to see her, but it looks like she slipped away while we were talking." He shrugged, "Anyway, pass that along for me would you? And have fun!" Nine would again comment, "Looks like he lost track of you once you found him though, so the scarf is working properly. Sorry again, it's been, oh, a thousand years since I last had to do this, and my last partner was Luna, who pioneered most of this stuff, so I forget that you're not as familiar with it." It seemed that the Host was safe, for now, but he didn't seem concerned by the message they had. They wouldn't have long to consider it before they found themselves facing the ninja they had been looking for, his presence seemingly deafening the party around them, and no others noticing his presence. He motioned, silently, for them to follow him. And implied, with his eyebrows alone, that they would regret not following him. (Hotel) Arcade raised an eyebrow, but nodded, "If you think that's best." He checked the hallway with the peephole to make sure the coast was clear before opening the door a bit to peak out, catching the attention of the pegasus in the hallway. He turned with an expression that matched his emotions, a bit of relief and some surprise. Actually, more than a little bit of relief in his emotions, though his face showed just the small relief and surprise. "Ah! I was hoping to find you, looks like I was off by one, but it's better than searching the whole hotel. You two never came back up to the roof, so I was worried something had happened to you." He pulled a map out from under his wing and held it out for Arcade, "I found a map of the city, and marked a few places on it for you. You should have some luck searching there." While the pegasus was talking, Ardee quietly entered the room, her first instinct having been to go to Arcade when there was a knock at the door, though she calmed when she saw that Arcade was dealing with it. Assuming the paper fox moved with Ardee into Arcade's room, Mongoose might notice that the pegasus's eyes briefly moved in the direction of the paper fox as though he could see it through the wall before he resumed eye contact with Arcade. Arcade acepted the map, looking it over to see the marked locations before turning his attention back to the pegasus, "Sorry we couldn't come back up to meet you. Apparently things got dangerous quick so we decided to limit our exposure. I'm sure you understand, given who we're tracking." The pegasus nodded, "Understandable, do let Ardee know that I'm still willing to train her, once it's safe of course." Arcade nodded, "I'll pass that along." Arcade then shut the door, and Mongoose could track the pegasus leaving straight away, heading towards the stairs at the end of the hall that led up to the roof, rather than heading to the rotunda to exit out the front. That in and of itself was not suspicious, plenty of pegasi preferred to leave via the roof, but Mongoose might not be willing to doubt that point. Arcade would relay what had happened to Ardee, and Ardee would comment that she had run into him when she got dinner, and had made plans to get some training like he had offered when they first met on the roof. Those plans had been for that night, and was part of why she had been so disappointed to be confined to her room for the night. (Void) Elef and Teal nodded as they listened to Void's explanation of what had happened, it was clear they still didn't fully understand what was going on, but they weren't worried anymore. Toupé wouldn't be too much longer getting out of the shower, once again wearing the lab coat, only the tail portion of the coat had been folded up, leaving her mark visible, She had also done some of her mane up in a small bun. (Similar to the image I sent long ago, only the tail of the lab coat still covers her back.) The other two were quick to approach, asking her what her mark meant and expressing their individual congratulations to her for it, which made her smile a bit, though she commented that she wasn't fully sure she knew what it meant yet, only that she seemed to have gotten it while they were in the library, and she had first noticed it when she was trying to find a pattern in which books were missing, so maybe it had to do with research? She shrugged. Elef repeated his comment that the thestral elders had told him that marks were meant to guide to who you were meant to be, and Toupé nodded thoughtfully at that. All that said, they turned their attention back to Void, asking if there was something else they needed to do that night? Or if it was time for bed.