LMercury

When Ray told her the actual location of the warehouse, Lisa groaned in annoyance, “Greeeeat! I have to watch out for civilians around the premise AND slave worker. You’re right, this mission does blow…” She shifted her position in the air, folded her arm and crossed a leg over the other, making it seem like she was sitting on an invisible chair. “So, here’s what I’m thinking. I was going to suggest waiting until nightfall, but screw that. I’m not down for any of that sneaking-in-the-darkness, espionage assassination thing. What I am down is going in broad daylight and guns blazing. Hit them hard and fast. Get in, get out. Simple.” Lisa paused briefly for Ray to catch up. “Since that old geezer selected you to be a Trinity, I presume you are capable of handling this mission by yourself. Rather stupid we have to do this together,” She mumble the last part to herself, “So, I’m going to offer you two roles, pick one or the other. Would you prefer to go on the offense or defense? Taking the offensive job, you deal with the guards and whatever mercs they have hired. They're probably Defensive, on the other hand, your first priority is securing the civilians and protecting them while they escape out the facility. Which ever you choose, I got the other covered.”

@@Drago Ryder "There is a difference between exaggerating one's abilities and hiding them for fear of others' opinions. I do not believe in hiding who I am- pretenses are only ever a disservice. For example, an issue I ran into often in my practice, and even more now as principal, is when someone alters their behavior to try and 'fit in' with others, whether a peer group or a potential mate. This is a terrible course of action, as it is the facade that appears to fit in, not the genuine person- that forces them to keep up appearances at all times, and simultaneously denies the peer group or mate any opportunity to get to know the real person," Kerrigan said lazily, almost sleepily. It was very relaxing out here, she felt almost as though she were on the verge of a nap. ( ( ooc: Posting this after getting permission from Borgue. )) ______________________________________________________________________________________ @ Rose tried very, very hard not to burst out laughing as he held the door for her and she made her way outside, though once they had gone a block or two away she couldn't stifle it anymore, and the giggles rapidly turned into doubled-over-in-tears laughter. "Oh, man, that was great! You didn't even skip a beat in there with the murder thing. I mean, not usually a light hearted topic and all, but just... oh, that was awesome!" she said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Almost as funny as when Mr. Big Manly Shark Manly Man of the Male Gender got all flustered at me just mentioning being mostly naked. Oh, you're a riot, you know that?" Rose said, as she hovered along, touching tree limbs and street signs. She was very subtle about it, to an onlooker it seemed like an ordinary girl just running her hands along a lilac hedge or something, but for Rose it was how she mapped out the layout of the town. Her school had specialized in blind and deaf students, and the concept of Mental Mapping was drilled into her head from the very beginning. Even still, the precision of a mental map depended on things being very static- a neighbor trimming a hedge could skew where she imagined herself to be, which then forced her to use things like sounds and smells and a couple times she had to land from hovering and feel the click, clink, and crunch of various surfaces with her hooves to know where she was. Though her method was not the fastest or most direct route, they ended up at the lake soon enough. "Behold, the smell of water and feel of sand, so we must be there! I'm kind of impressed with myself, really, I only felt totally lost like twice!" Rose said, before peeling off her top and denim cargo shorts and unceremoniously dumping them in a pile. she wasn't wearing anything super fancy underneath, as Tiny had outright refused to go lingerie shopping with her, but it was comfortable and (although she didn't know it) clashed with her coat enough to make it obvious she wasn't nude. she carefully walked over to the shore and stuck a hoof in the water. "Okay, mister. I'm in the water, as promised," she teased. *** The sound of voices carried on the breeze piqued Kerrigan's attention. She sat up slowly, brushing bits of sand off her arms, just in time to see what appeared to be that shark from earlier and a pegasus female arrive, at which point the female began disrobing, though she stopped before doing anything indecent. Kerrigan hesitated- she did not like the idea of unexpected company or possible indecency in public, but she also was not in the best position to get involved. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she turned around and lay on her stomach, keeping her gaze at the young couple. If they tried anything unsavory, she would be all over them like insects on carrion- but for now, she would let things slide.

Apparently the other two also received a mission as Bobby decided to read it out loud. All she caught was something about a magical cereal on the loose. Clearly, she did not bother to pay attention to what he was reading and when the two was leaving the room, Lisa moved from her current floating position in front of the door to let the two pass. She did not understand the reason Ray was laughing. Did she miss something? Was it something she said? Her mind drew a blank, but she decided to go along with the chaos user and force herself to let out a weak laugh. After being ask what made her reconsider, Lisa sighed, “It’s nothing important. I just don’t feel like dealing with the headmaster later if I bail.” Reaching inside her third pocket, Lisa pulled out a wrapped lollipop from between her bosoms before unwrapping the candy and plopping it into her mouth. “So, where is this warehouse located? Somewhere not populated and run down? Maybe by the docks? The faster we get this done, the faster I can get some shut-eye.” Lisa finish off with a yawn.

“What now?” Lisa replied in an almost whiney tone as she turned her head around, giving Ray a side glance. She opened her mouth to ask what does him getting a message have to do with her, but she didn’t have time to when he told her that the headmaster has given them a mission to complete. “Eh, he expects me to go off on a mission and exert myself this early in the morning, and just for a rock? I’m still trying to figure out why I was selected to be apart of this bothersome group. Meh, dun wanna. Count me out, I’m sure he can find you a more suitable partner for this.” Lisa made a shooing gesture with her hand, dismissing the thought of her partake on the mission to retrieve some stone. Turning her head back around she floated two inches towards the door before Jack stopped her. You know, the headmaster’s going to be angry with you if you bail. Meh, I’ll take my chances. You act like he hasn’t been angry with me before. Lisa shrugged as she spoke to her weapon through her mind. “Anyways, I’m going to the roof-“ He’ll ban you from using the academy roof. Wha- No, he wouldn’t dare! This got her attention. Really now? Remember last time you made him angry and he banned you from using the snack machines for a week. I seem to recall the headmaster making all the vending machines reject you and not the other students. Why, I do believe that was the longest time I’ve seen you go without eating junk food. Recalling that event made Lisa frown. Fine, fine. Dumb ‘ol geezer… Lisa let out a sigh and spun around to face her supposed partner. “You know what? On second thought maybe I will go, I could use a little,” She had to paused briefly to force out the next word, “Exercise… If you have a location, lead the way.” Lisa forced a smile with the left corner of her lip and eye twitching every so often. She can’t believe she just said that.

@@captainborgue Rose said she was not expecting him to say yes, “Now, why would I decline on an invitation to the lake? This is pretty last minute, so I’d be surprised and taken back if you did have plans.” With her mentioning him being a secret murderer, Ren just smirked and remained silent as he stealthy inched his way closer to the pink Pegasus. Leaning forward, the mako whispered into her ears, “Shhh… I’m trying to stay low this town. Oh, and you forgot to add in another extra. Yeah, that’s how crazy I am. To think today was going to go so well… Now that you know, I’m afraid I can’t let you go. You will be going to the waters, all right.” Ren finished off with a gentle, but audible clack of his sharp teeth. “Kidding, kidding. I’m totally kidding, just so you know. Give me a few moments to pick up what we need and we can be on our way.” Ren backed off and headed towards the counter to pick up some food and drinks. After successfully picking up an assortment of foods and beverages, in separate bags, and paying for them the shark made his way back to Rose. “Right so I practically got one, or two, of everything on the menu. We should be good on food and drinks.” Holy mother of all sharks, this girl gets him flustered with little to no effort. “I... Um.. What I mean is- Uh, no, that was not my intention. I was just- Mmm. You can ask for anything. No, wait, I mean- Um, let us get going shall we?” Ren stood there trying to find the right words to say, but instead he looked bright as a tomato. Quickly changing the subject, the mako made his way towards the exit, “I am still new to this town, so I hope you don’t mind showing the way.” Ren replied with a nervous smile, his face still flushed as he held the door open for the Pegasus.

Lisa eventually grew tiresome of sitting on the chair so she decided to float around the room as if there was no gravity. Being able to manipulate the element of wind sure if nice. Her weapon, on the other hand, remained seated and silent as he occasionally tug Lisa back to him when she tried to sneak behind the other girl to find out what she's reading. When the person named Ray started to speak, she was sure he was going to conclude the meeting. Lisa started for the door, but the headmaster's voice caused her to stop. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The headmaster just assigned her a partner. Sitting, now upside-down in the air, Lisa didn't even bother to open the letter containing her partner's name. It's not hard figuring out who is her partner considering she just heard Bobby speak to book girl about her being his partner. Eye wandering over to Ray, the user of chaotic magic, Lisa studied him briefly and hoped he won't be a stick-in-the-mud before floating over to Jack and pick him off the seat. She hugged him as if he was a teddy bear and opened her mouth, "Well, since we're not discussing anything relevant, I'll leaving." Lisa once again started for the door and planned on going to the roof. She thought about going back to class, but she didn't feel like dealing with the constant stares by her classmates about her becoming a council member.

"Oh that's easy, just go to the clinic, or you can bring your own. I have brought my futon with me from time to time to nap on the school roof whenever I don't feel like going to class, though I would advise you check the weather first unless you don't mind napping in the rain. The academy garden area is also a good place to sleep. Ahh, the soft, lush green grass acting the bedding while the sun provides a warm blanket... It's simply divine." Lisa seem to become more chipper as a smile grew on her face. She was beginning to drift off into her own little world. Sadly her thoughts was interrupted by Bobby as he told her it was nice to meet her, attempting to shake her hand. Instead of shaking his hand, Lisa tilted her head slightly in confusion and wondered what he wanted. He's offering you a handshake, you dolt! Jack told her telepathically. "Oh, a handshake! Okay, yeah, nice to meet you too." Lisa smile and finally shook the male's hand. "Hmm... why are we called the Trinity Four when there are four of us?" Instead of thinking to herself, she spoke her thought out loud. Her random question only made Jack groan in her head.

Every morning was the same ritual. Lisa would continue sleeping through that annoying racket coming from her alarm clock. She would slam her fist on the snooze button, breaking it in the process before tossing it into the bin across the room, resting with the other clocks that she previously broke. “Lisa? Lisa! LISA RENATA” She heard a familiar voice shouting her name. “If you don’t wake up this instant I’m going to drag you to the academy!” “Mmm… just five more minutes..” She mumbled, digging into her pillow and covers. She hated mornings. “You said that five minutes ago, and five minutes ago after that! Okay, that does it.” The voice was coming from Jack, the spirit that is imbued inside Lisa’s weapon, a ball and chain. The weapon was definitely not what Lisa was expecting on receiving as a partner. Some of the girls have hairclips, glasses, a key, and even a cape. Why didn’t she get a spirit looking like that? Why a ball and chain? Why is fate so cruel to her? Lisa shuffled around, lying on her front, when suddenly she felt a murderous intent. Above?! This got her intention, like all other mornings Jack tried to force her awake by using… well, force. Today her weapon attempted to break her back by dropping on her from the ceiling. Thanks to evasive maneuvers, by rolling to the side, Lisa dodged Jack’s assault successfully. Thud. Unfortunately, she landed on the floor of her room, and onto her face at that. Pulling her face up from the floor, she groaned, “Okay, okay, I’m up. Sheesh, you should treat girls more delicately. It’s not nice trying break a fragile girl so early in the morning.” She mumbled and rubbed her eyes. “Ha. Ahahahaa! You, fragile? Oh please, I could drop a boulder on you and you'd still be fine. And besides, if I start treating you delicately you would just become even more of a sloth! Now hurry up and get showered. Breakfast is ready for you downstairs." Lisa mumbled some incoherent words and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Eventually she managed to make it downstairs, after Jack had to go in there to make sure she didn’t fall asleep in the tub, which she did, and drown. He also had to assist her on drying her, her hair, comb it, and help her get clothed. “I… am a weapon. A weapon meant to assist the future generation of great magicians. Yet... I am reduced to a maid. Ah hell, even maids have it easier. I’m probably a laughing stock to all the other spirits.” Jack sighed, speaking to himself as Lisa happily nibbled on a piece of toast. After finally leaving the house, Jack was pulling Lisa along by latching his metal cuffs on her wrist. “Come on, come on, stop dragging your feet and walk properly. We’re going to be late at this rate!” Jack hopped down the road and towards the academy. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming…. Such a slave driver.” Lisa mumbled the last part and let loose a yawn. Surprisingly the pair reached the academy just before the gate closed. They also made it into class, and into their seats before the bell rang. “Hey, did you hear? They’re going to announce the next members of the council today!" “Oh, that’s today? I wonder who made it this year. I bet Harashi from our class got selected.” “Yeah, he has the highest score in both the written and practical exams. Surely he got selected.” Mentioning Harashi’s name apparently got the class riled up as every student moved closer to the one they deem to be a council member all except her Lisa. “Soooo, freaking noisy! I wish they’d shut up already. Council this, trinity that, ugh… such a pain. Can’t a girl sleep in peace?” She whined and clasped her hands on her ears trying to tone down the noise. She was expecting Jack to say something mean, but he remained quiet and stared out the window. His actions made her look at him suspiciously. Normally he never let a chance slip by to insult her. She was about to ask when the bell rang and the homeroom teacher walked in. “All right, settle down and take your seats. Since every one of you knows what’s going on today, there’s no need for me to explain. I’ll get right to the name…” The teacher paused as if waiting for anticipation to build up. “Lisa. Renata… Please make your way to the council room at this time.” The entire classroom went into silence as all eyes went towards the girl that’s currently asleep on her desk, drooling and carrying a stupid grin on her face. “Lisa, I said make your way to the council room. Did you hear me?” The teacher sighed and made her way over to Lisa’s desk. “How many times must I say this,” She rolled up the papers she held in her hand before smacking Lisa dead in the face, “Don’t sleep during homeroom!” The pain was enough to jerk her awake, “Ow, ow, ow! Why did you do that? That’s so mean, Ms. Kagami! Isn’t there a policy against teachers hitting their students? I’m gonna go tell the headmaster and have you fire-” Lisa cried out and looked at her homeroom teacher. She would have continued to whine had it not been the teacher squeezing her cheeks and mouth with her hand. “Have me what?” The teacher carried a scary smile as she stared down at her student. “Um… Nothing, I said nothing, ehehehe.” Lisa did her best to speak despite having the side of her face squeezed. “Good, that’s what I thought you said. Now, again, please make your way to the council room and congratulations on becoming a member of the Trinity Four, Lisa Renata. Jack, make sure you guide her there all right?” Kagami released her student’s face and made her way out the classroom. “They sure picked an odd one this year.” She muttered and disappeared down the hall. “Let’s go Lisa. I’m sure they are all waiting on you.” Jack finally said something as he hopped off the desk. “I know you have questions and complaints, but save them for later.” For once, Lisa complied and went along with Jack. Currently… Well, this is awkward… She thought to herself as she lazily sat in a chair with her legs folded, hugging her weapon in the process. She was kind of hoping the silence would remain so she can doze off, but one of the members decided to speak and named himself to be Ray. His name was all she paid attention to. The next member introduced himself to be Bobby San… San.. Sancheez? Once again, his name was all she heard and made her think about cheese sandwiches. Silence once again instill the room and Lisa was on the verge of dozing off, until Jack gave her a nudge on her lap. “Who- Wha- Oh, is it my turn?” She opened her eyes in a daze and let out a yawn. “I’m, Lisa. Lisa Renata. Nice to meet you and whatnot.” She replied unenergetically and rested her head on a open palm. "Soooo, can I leave now that introductions are over?”

@@captainborgue, @@Mentis Soliloquy “Oh, leaving already? Well, all right, it was nice to meet you, Crystal. Hope to see you around!” Ren watched the uniformed pony leave the café before his attention went back to Rose. The mako couldn’t help but blush slightly at the pegasus’s comment about being on the flirtatious stage, along with that wink she gave him. He was a little glad she couldn’t see his face. His blush only grew deeper and made him embarrassed when she called him hot stuff. Why is he so weak when it comes to people giving him compliments, especially if they are coming the opposite gender? Lake. There’s that word again. His memories were still a tad foggy from before. Ren remembered everything he did since he woke up this morning to the time he arrived in Amber Crust. He recalls wandering around the town, but everything after that drew a blank, up until when he met the dragoness who were gracious enough to help him. He hoped he didn’t do anything embarrassing in front of that nice lady. Okay, a reminder, I need to find the dragoness again and thank her properly when I get the chance. Ren made a mental note to himself. “Oh, you have no idea how divine the lake sounds to me right now. As for a picnic-“ At the mention of that word, Ren’s stomach growled rather loudly causing him to blush once again, “Um, as you have probably heard that, a picnic would be nice, so I’m definitely in. Should we pick up what we need here, or head over to a general store, or grocery store? Oh wait, do you need to grab a bathing suit? I am not about to have fun the the water by myself.”

1. Meloetta 2. Latias 3. Victini

@@captainborgue “That is very flattering, and I do agree on liking the sea smell, but I can assure you that the sea smells much more appealing than I currently do.” Ren replied back, his sunset colored eyes settling on the pegasus. “It’s quite all right. No need to worry or anything. It takes more than a collision to put me down-“ He started, but was caught off guard by the Pegasus calling him cute just by feeling his face. The mako could feel his face becoming warm by her comment and he tried his best to remain composed. It never did take a lot to make this shark feel flustered, in a good way. “T-thanks, and I’ll have to admit that you kind of caught me off guard. I certainly don’t hear that everyday.” Ren let out a nervous laugh and continued looking at the pink Pegasus. He took notice of how she mistook his words earlier, but he did nothing to correct her. From his perspective, she was definitely fine. Ack, what am I thinking! I just met the pegasus! Ren scolded himself and quickly shook his thoughts away. Was it strange he felt a little weird around this Pegasus? He couldn’t quite explain it. Maybe it’s because ninety-nine percent of his family are filled with mammals and herbivores that he has a strange attraction to them? Deciding not to dwell on it any further, Ren returned his focus back on the two ponies. Seeing the way she was acting, he couldn’t help but smile, “Just relax and take a deep breath, you’re not awkward. If anything, I find it cute,” He decided to return the favor, “and unique, in a good way of course.”

@@captainborgue, @@Mentis Soliloquy The mako wondered how she guessed he was athletic, Oh, right, she was feeling around earlier. Ren thought to himself and remember the events that transpired just moments ago. He could only let out a light chuckled as Rose try to explain herself, “You’re perfectly fine, Rose. No harm done.” Though, he did feel slight discomfort coming from his back. He assumes the displeasure is coming from his fin after landing on it, but it was nothing serious. Besides, he has felt worse. “Crystal is right on the shark part. As for species, I’m a shortfin mako shark, took after my mother.” Ren eyes wander over to the uniformed grey pony and than back to the pink Pegasus. “So-“ The shark started to say something, but stopped after smelling something… fishy. Aha! The smell was coming from him! Wait… oh, he was smelling himself. He reeked, and he’s reeking in front of females. Nice going, Ren. Ugh, I smell like dead fish… Can’t believe I did not notice sooner! The mako frowned, groaning in his mind. “Um, I’m sorry, but I will have to advise you two not to get too close to me. I have been out in the sun for hours and I’m pretty much bathed in my own sweat. Bluntly speaking, I probably smell like a fish market.” Ren let out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head with his other hand. Realizing his other hand was still grasping the hand of the pink Pegasus, he quickly let go. ( ( ooc: No worries! You're fine. o vo ))

@@captainborgue, @@J.R., @@Mentis Soliloquy “Suffering? Now listen here my lovely-looking dragoness. I’m not suffering for anything. Why, I feel just fine- ohhhh, that breeze feels nice.” The mako finished his sentenced with a stupid grin plastered on his face and his eyes closed. He had also risen a finger when he started speaking, but his hand dropped and fell back to his side after feeling the wind. Even thought he saw the dragoness flapped her wings, the thought that the breeze was created by her didn’t even register in his mind. Hearing the dragon lady spoke of a lake, Ren immediately wanted ask her for directions, but apparently it was not a good idea, or so she says. “Awww, but the lake sounds so nice! I want to go there!” He protested, sounding like a little kid as he was dragged off by the dragoness. Despite his opposition he did not struggle, but instead let the dragon lead him to where ever she was heading. The entire trip to the café was silent, except for when he confirmed that he was indeed a shark… “And yes, you guessed right. I,” Ren paused for dramatic effect and raised a finger, “Am a variety of tuna!” He emphasized the word tuna loudly and went quiet, relishing the shade the dragoness was providing him with her wing. Yep. The heat was definitely messing with him... After finally reaching the designated location, and entering the establishment, Ren felt a lot better. For one, the sun was no longer cooking him at a slow ninety to a hundred degrees. Secondly, there is air conditioning in the café. Who ever invented air conditioning is a god. As he was lead to a open table, Ren graciously took a seat, set down his travel sack on the next empty seat, and became lax. He stretched out his legs and let him arms hang down while he slowly leaned back, taking care not to give the fin on his back too much pressure. “Thank you so much, dragoddess. You’re a life saver.” The shark closed his eyes and thanked the dragon before letting out a sigh of relief. Thud. The sudden sound of something hitting making contact with the table made him open his eyes. A huge glass of water was sitting right in front of him. The sight made him jerk his head towards the one who placed it there and gave him a big thank you. Turning back to face the glass the mako has never see such a divine glass of water in his life! Ren stared at the glass with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth. Just as he was about to reach out and take a drink, a mass of light pink filled his vision as it collided with him, toppling him. At first, he instinctively tried to grab onto something to prevent his fall, which apparently was the edge of the table. It was a bad choice. The sheer weight of him alone was enough to cause the table to flip over, sending the glass of water flying in the process. Luckily the glass didn’t hit anyone but the floor. The contents, however, hit him directly in the face as he fell on his back. It was freaking refreshing! He would have licked around his lips for remnants of water, but some kind of pink furred thing was feeling his face. On a closer inspection he saw a hand, a pink hand linked to a… Pegasus? “Mmph hmmphfftm.” He tried telling her it was all right, but her hand was still on a portion of his face, and mouth. Hearing the sound of someone giggling made him shift his eyes over to see to another pony, asking if they needed help. Before replying back, Ren slowly and gently move the pink hand off his face. “Oh, no, I’m fine. Thanks for the offer, though.” Ren replied with a smile and got back onto his feet as water dripped off his hair and face. Shifting his gaze towards the pink Pegasus, Ren reached out for her hand and grasp it gently. “Rose was it? Let me help you up. I’m Ren. Ren Mizushima. Nice to meet you, the both of you.” ( ( ooc: sorry for the wait! ) )

@@captainborgue The time was around 9am, at least that is what he overheard from some locals talking to one another. He would like to think he’s been wandering around for roughly fifteens minutes, but he couldn’t tell. He was not wearing a watch, after all. Though, he never did think to check his cellphone in his pockets. What had been a quest to find something to eat and drink turned into a quest of making mental notes of places to visit, one of them being The Black Gate. Ren had some hunches on what the establishment held, but he’ll just have to see when he actually goes there. Another place he wanted to visit was- “Hey, are you excited for the Summer Festival?” “Of course! I believe they are holding it on the beach this year. I’ll have to go shopping for a bathing suit.” If Ren had flexible ears, they would be standing so high that it would hurt and risk of falling off his head. The only words Ren heard from the two females that passed by him were Summer and Festival. “There’s a festival happening here soon?! When?? Aw man! I will only be here for a few days… Maybe I can stay a little later, though I’ll have to ask my boss. Ahhh! This is so not fair. Why doesn’t the city have any festivals?” Ren spoke to himself, making some passing local turn their heads and look at him as if he’s crazy. Well, maybe he is a little crazy. Wait, maybe being baked in the sun is making him crazy in the head...? Nah. However, Ren soon started to wobbled as a surge of dizziness swept through his head. "Oooookay. I... might need a seat.” To prevent himself from losing balance and falling over, Ren slouched his body forwards and held the upper areas of his knees with his hands. The towel over his head fell to the ground in the process. “Good morning. I don’t recall seeing you before. Were you looking for something?” The voice sounded feminine. Was she talking to him? It sounded like she was. Red turned his head to the side and glanced upwards. Standing there was what it appears to be a reptilian lady with grey scales. “Oh, hey there, reptile lady.” He greeted her in almost a song-like fashion. Clearly the heat was getting to him. “Wait! I see you have wings. Dragon? No. No, I got it! Dragoness, yes, that’s the word I’m looking for! Sorry for calling you a reptile ma’am. Please don't eat me!” Ren replied nervously and used whatever energy he had left to straighten himself, trying to make himself look proper and at least somewhat presentable. He managed to succeed, somehow. With another inspection, he noticed she was roughly the same height as him. If he’s only six foot, then she must be six… one or two. It’s not really much of a difference, but she was still taller than him. For brief moments he silently stared into her eyes only to finally realize he never did answer her questions. “Oh, yeah! What were you asking again? Um, what was it…? Something about seeing me and looking for something? Ah, I remember now! I don’t actually live here. I just arrived in this town not too long ago after walking, like, a million miles. As for what I’m looking for… I think I was searching for a building. A café, was it? Yes, yes, I was searching for a café to get something to eat and drink before I got sidetracked.” Ren gave the dragoness a sheepish smile.

Well, this is a bore. I was expecting to see more people on here. Why am I the only one on the bus? And here I thought I could have a nice friendly chat with someone… that’s not the driver. Sheesh, I’m not sure what crawl up his butt and died, but wow, that’s the most unfriendliness bus driver I have EVER met! Well, I can't really blame him. Maybe something happened that made him like this? Ren thought to himself, hoping that some people are no simply just born as a grump, as he thought about his little conversation with the driver earlier. 30 minutes ago… “Heeeeey there! How’s it going? I’m Ren Mizushima! So, how long have you-“ “Take a seat, will ya? I’m on a tight schedule. Got places to go and people to drive.” The ram driver replied, not bothering to even take a glance at him. “Uhhh… Well… I. Um.” Ren took quick look around and saw that there were no other passengers aboard besides him. “But I don’t see-“ He didn’t dare finish what he wanted to say as the old ram gave him the stink eye. “Uh, I’ll just go find a seat.” He chuckled nervously and quickly sat at the back of the bus. He could have sworn he heard the ram muttered good riddance as he left. …Presently Ren shrugged off his thoughts about the driver’s negatively towards him and stare out the window. He begins thinking about what to do when he arrives at Amber Crust. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden bump along the road that shook the bus and with him in it. His first thought was whether or not the driver ran into something, but his thoughts were rudely interrupted yet again by a quick stinging sensation to his rear. The pain almost made him yelp, but he held it in. Holding onto the seat in front of him, Ren lifted his rear up and saw a spring poking out of the cushion he was sitting on. A quick frown appeared on his face as he stared at the audacity of the spring. He wanted to pluck that spring right out of the seat and fling it out the window, however after giving his rear a quick rub, Ren decided to moved over to the next seat. Upon doing so he caught a quick glimpse of the driver looking at him through the rear mirror smirking at him. Oh, har, har. I bet he’s laughing his a** off at my misfortune… But, look at the bright side, at least he knows how to smile. When the old rusted bus finally came to a stop, Ren grabbed his medium-sized, tan travel sack, swung it over his shoulder and quickly got off. Despite the way the driver treated him, he smiled and bid his farewell before going on his merry way. He finally arrived in amber Crust. Well, almost arrived is what he should say. Apparently he was dropped off at an old bus stop on the side of the road surrounded by miles of grassland and the occasional farm animals. The scenery compared to the big city was definitely something new. For one, he could actually see the wide open sky if he looked up, rather than tall buildings. The air was much cleaner too, which made him take a big whiff, “Ahh, the sweet smell of natur- wow, what IS that?!” Ren had to quickly cover his mouth and nose after smelling something putrid. His eyes fell on a large cowpie that stood a few feet away. “Yep. That’s the smell of nature all right.” He pinched his nose as he spoke and started down the asphalt road. Some time passed… Ren lost track of how long he’s been walking down the same road. He’s probably been walking for miles now, being baked under the sun. Luckily he was only wearing a short, icy-blue, slim-fit t-shirt, light tan cargo shorts, some white socks, and a pair of blue running sneakers. It was also a good thing he brought bottles of water and a white towel. Placing the towel over his head, Ren unscrew the cap of a water bottle and took a few gulps. Afterwards he poured the rest over his head, damping the towel and his clothes in the process. He didn't care about his clothes getting wet. It’ll just dry with the sun anyways. Note to self… Plan in advance next time you decide to take a trip… After finally arriving to amber Crust, Ren was literally covered in sweat. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have a cold shower right now. He thought to himself and tugged the collar of his shirt a few times. Making his way towards a trashcan, Ren dumped off four empty bottles and thought about his next course of action. His brain told himself to go find his friend, but his stomach protested and made a valid argument by growling. “Guess I’ll get a bite to eat and something to keep me dehydrated first. Is there a café around here? I do faintly remember being told that there are a few within this town.” He wracked his brain trying to remember the name of the establishment. “Don’t quite remember, but I’m sure I’ll find it. I could always ask one of the locals for directions, if needed.” With that said, Ren wandered off, his medium-length tail swaying lightly from side to side.

Ren jumped, jumped right out of the plane in his black tracksuit, goggles, sneakers, and a backpack strapped onto his back as he started plummeting down towards the earth. For brief moments, he spread his arms and legs wide, as if trying to provide some form of resistance against his high altitude drop. However, rather than trying to slow down, Ren closed his legs and placed his arms tightly against his sides before he started a nosedive. He was now shooting through the sky like a missile, a shark missile. Awesome. The large grin held on his face clearly show he was enjoying every moment of this skydive. He loved the wind blowing pass his face and hair, the thrill, the excitement, and above all... the danger that came with it. The thought of something happening, like having a defective parachute, sent chills down his spine, yet he can't help but continue to grin like an idiot. Luckily nothing happened when he reached for the cord and gave it a hard tug, releasing the chute that was locked away inside the backpack. With the chute slowing down his pace, Ren miraculously landed high on a mountain, and more importantly on a long ski ramp. The only thing that changed, with the exception of the scenery, was the pair of skis he wore and the ski poles he held on each hand. Not giving a second thought, shark boy lowered his posture and pushed himself down the ramp. He could feel the adrenaline rush come back as he shot down. It did not take long before he reached the end and with the ramp curving up, Ren was once again sent flying through the skies. This time, unlike the skydrop, Ren was not losing altitude. Instead he was now flying fast towards the beach where he worked, and it was all thanks to the jackpack he was now wearing. Upon arriving to the beach, Ren glanced down and saw his boss waving at him. Giving him a thumbs up, he continued rocketing through the sky and to the ocean. However, the jackpack ran out of fuel. After choking its last breathes, the jackpack finally died out and caused him to fall towards his watery grave. Yet, instead of falling to his demise, Ren was saved by a massive wave and a sole surfboard that his feet landed on. Now, wearing nothing but a pair of Hawaiian swimming trunks, he was surfing on the wave. Beep. Beep. BEEEP. Ren heard a loud noise that rumbled across the sky. BEEEEEP! This time the noise became so loud that it disrupted the wave and caused him to lose his balance. Letting out nothing but a gasp, Ren felt the water crash into him as he was sent deep into the watery abyss. Everything was becoming dark... "Air!" Ren gasped, his eyes shot open, and a hand reaching dramatically into the air and towards his.... ceiling? Wait, what? Since when did the ocean have a ceiling? Hand still outstretched, it took him minutes to register into his mind that it was all a dream. Yet, he did not wish to believe he just undergo a dream. Nonchalantly his other hand went to pitch himself. "Ow..." The pain he felt told him he was back in reality and made him let out a sigh of disappointment. Grunting, Ren slowly sat up and got on his feet and noticed he was on the floor. He must had fell from his bed after going through the last part of his dream. He took a glance around his dimly lit room and made a mental note to clean it, but before anything he needed to turn off that stupid racket coming from his alarm clock. Smacking the off button, Ren took a few minutes to do some stretches and went on his morning routines of cleansing himself in the bathroom of his apartment. It was still early in the morning and he had nothing planned for today, or the next few days actually. To his surprise he was actually off from his job, or jobs, and he did not have any classes. He was also caught up on homework, which means he can practically do whatever he wants today. Putting on a running tee that hugged tightly around his well defined body, his boxers, and a pair of black running shorts over them, Ren stepped into his blue sneakers before heading out the door to begin his morning jog in the large city. As he ran he thought about what to do for the rest of the day. I could head to the gym for a few hours and then head to the beach for some- wait, actually, maybe I'll pay that town a visit to see a friend of mine. Ren thought about his idea as he jogged through the city streets. Yeah, I think I will do that. I'll finish my run and get ready to go! He smiled and picked up his pace. He was beginning to feel excited for his little trip.

@@LunaFlower226 "Hm?" Virtus tilted his head when she mentioned that Sugarcube Corners might not be open. Taking a look towards the sky, he realized what she meant. "Oh my, guess I lost track of time. Well, there's always tomorrow, I reckon. Anywho, I suppose you'll be heading home now. I still have a few things I need to do. Have a safe trip home." The pegasus told her and waved goodbye as he trotted off into the distance.

@@LunaFlower226 "Yeah, I would expect everypony pitching in if they're sharing a apartment, or house. Unless they're going through some rough times. But yeah, it's cool you know how to write music. Most I do is just listen to them, as I probably can't write something audible to save my life." Virtus chuckled and remembered something. "Oh, I know! We can head over to Sugarcube corner, if you want to of course. I just remembered I have something I need to pick up there." The stallion told her.

@@LunaFlower226 "So, a writer, a energetic random pony, and a lover. Fun, fun. Seems like you have it pretty good so far. The only time I'm a writer is when I'm doing paperwork and I've never thought about dating anypony before." He laughed, glancing around from stall to stall wondering what to eat. "So, what do you do around here?"

@@LunaFlower226 "Oh, really? Interesting, huh? Define interesting, because I've met quite a number of interesting ponies over the years. I don't live with anypony. The most I do is stay over a few of my friend's here every so often. I have three, perhaps four, very good friends. Two of them live here in Ponyville. One of them used to work in the harsh climates of the Frozen North and the other goes on expeditions to chart out maps of caves, dungeons, ruins, you name it. To add to that, he is blind. The third one resides in Canterlot, working for the Lunar Guard, is a thestral." Virtus told the mare and turned around. "Well, the offer still stands, come along if you want. I will be going to the marketplace." Virtus turned his head slightly and gave Luna a side glance as he started walking.

@@LunaFlower226 Virtus felt like the mare was acting a little strange by the way she spoke, or maybe it was just him. Regardless, changelings were okay in his book. "Love is one of the ways changelings live off of. Though, it would depend on what type of emotion they prefer, of course love is one of the easiest to obtain, but not every changeling will like it." He finished and started glancing around as if trying to find something. "Hm, I can't help but think I'm forgetting something since I came here... What was it?" Virtus asked himself, tapping his chin with a hoof and his left brow risen. It was then his stomach growled and rumbled. "Oh, right, food! I haven't ate anything since this morning. Well, Luna, I would love to stand here and continue our conversation, but I'm afraid I need to search for some nourishment for my stomach. Would like to join me?" The pegasus asked her. (( ooc: Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been studying for a test I needed to take today. ))

@@Shadow Dancer @@LunaFlower226 "Thanks for that! Have a safe trip home, Indicus." Virtus told the stallion and watched him leave. "Oh, don't feel bad. I'm positive you will see him again." The pegasus adverted his attention back to the mare. "What do I think about changelings? I think they're pretty awesome! I mean, they can literally turn into any pony, right? I have met a few during my travels and they were nice to be around overall. I hope you don't think I dislike changelings because of what happened. I don't know every changeling, but I'm sure majority of them were just following the queen's orders. One changeling's actions does not justify the entire race, after all."

@@LunaFlower226 @@Shadow Dancer Upon Luna's mention of the changelings, Virtus felt a slight ting of irritation. He had been sent away on a mission to the Badlands during the time when the changeling queen decided to invade Canterlot, and even went and fought Princess Celestia. He always cursed himself for not being there to support the princess, but as she told him countless times his mission was just as important. Besides, Princess Twilight and her friends handled the situation quite well. "Yeah, they thought we would be a easy food source for them, so they tried to invade Canterlot, imprison its citizens, and expand their colony. It's a darn shame I missed out on it." Virtus let out a brief sigh of discontentment before he went back to his smiling self. "But yeah, nice to meet you Indicus. Sounds like you have experienced many exciting and dangerous adventures, or jobs. I understand the feeling of restlessness. I get that quite often. I'm hoping I'll get send somewhere fun soon, like Undiscovered West or the Mysterious South." Virtus replied excitedly. "And thanks for the offer. I'll keep that in mind, though I do have my own ways of meeting Twilight."

@@Shadow Dancer Virtus's ears perked up as soon as he heard a stallion's voice, which made him turn his head towards the source. "Oh, well, there you go, Luna! This stallion here says can get you an audience with the princess. Maybe she can let you read some of her books regarding alicorns, provided she has any, which I have a feeling she does. Either that, or she might decide to give you a very knowledgable lecture on them. In any case, I'll have to pass on meeting her as I rather not risk the latter." The pegasus gave a weak smile and look over to the newcomer with his heterochromatic eyes. "The name's Vermillion, by the way. Virtus Vermillion. Going by what you just said, I assume you have some kind of connection with the princess of friendship, if not just her." He smiled at him. It wouldn't surprised him if the stallion did have some kind of connection to the princesses, just like he did. Wait... why didn't he think about using his connections to grant Luna a audience with Princess Twilight? Guess he forgot, heh. Oh well, it would seem everything worked out in the end.