Randimaxis

Oof. Been a minute. Originally, I was waiting for Widdershins, but... I get the feeling he's not gonna reply. Okay, uhhhhh... gimme a few days; gotta gather my notes & re-read some to see what was going on. I mean, I don't wanna give up on it - I've just been incredibly busy. (Including writing/editing my story.)

*looks around a bit* Er... hello? Is this shop still open, or would I have better luck on Discord?

Ooooooooooh! Writey-style-type things! Me likey! Right - as I have been asked to put my two bits worth in on the contestants' entries, I shall do so now; down the list I go: @Sparklefan1234: I have to admit - didn't see that ending coming. This is an interesting way to do as Valty asked, but in a unique way. If there were any issues, it was the length of the reply and the fact it didn't actually solve the story's problem... but it solved the problem, all the same. Very creative! }:) @abrony-mouse: Cute. Bonus points because I have Scottish heritage. The intense buildup was one of my favorite parts of this, as it just helps sell the silliness of the situation once it unfolds. I'll say that such an enormous buildup can be picked out as a bait-and-switch, but it's good to see it done so well here. A fine job! @flurry: Indeed, you did try something. You managed to bring the situation to an end, and even threw in another character (an OC, I presume) to help out. Not bad, not bad; I could pick it apart with a fine-tooth comb, but this is for fun - and as someone who gave it an effort out of nowhere, I applaud you. My thanks for doing The Thing! @DJSuits: Bagpipes? Another Gaelic reference... I have to say, I dunna mind that! Well, it certainly ends the situation, though quite abruptly. You went into a bit of detail, which I liked... though I can't help but feel I'm missing a gag, here. Do forgive me; I don't get out much. Thank you kindly for your entry... though I frown on Bagpipe Abuse, for future reference. *chuckle* @Metal Brony 42: WOW. Talk about going above and beyond - you're leaving Wonderbolts behind with this one! Characterization, depth, foreshadowing, plot advancement... you have most certainly done A.K. justice with this addition to the story. AND you managed to not only get her out of the situation, but even had more in store for us! Are you writing on FimFiction, by chance? 'Cause it's THAT good! @Califorum: And this was just as fascinating as Metal Brony's (though MB's was longer); you introduced other characters (kudos for the Cabelleron inclusion), a villain, and even worked up the tension of the situation. Of course, I'm fairly certain A.K. doesn't use swear words... but in light of the contest being for fun, I'll let it slide on this point. Well done! As far as it goes, had I to give a vote, it would sit either with Metal Brony or Califorum. BOTH have very good entries, long and involved, which not only bring closure to the situation, but actually enrich the story itself through their wordplay. The dedication it takes to write something like their responses is commendable, though I'm happy for each and every one of you who entered, and I thank you all for sharing your talent with us, be it genius or humorous. However, if there can only be a single winner, I would have to cast my vote in favor of Metal Brony 42. When I saw the response was in a blog, I knew it was going to be something special. Reading through the sentences, I came to the realization that, were this a story on FimFiction, it would most certainly be something I'd read. You have a skill here that many can't say they possess, and I feel that you have quite a lot going for you within the writing circle. Again, I ask if you're already on FimFiction, because the addition you made to the story reads like some of the more well-crafted stories I've seen on that site. I'm glad I got to be a part of this; creating things is one of my favorite hobbies, and writing is among the things I create. It does my heart good to see not only the talent involved, but to see others peeking out of their shell to be a part of something like this. On behalf of the staff here at MLP Forums, we want to thank each and every one of you who participated... and thanks also go to those who enjoyed reading the entries, too! @Lord Valtasar, my mission is a success, and my job is complete; one is glad to be of service. *bows humbly*

@Blitz Boom "You're gonna make a list of what were taken, and what the plans were for. Then we make sure that Mrs. Blackwater gets that, so that she start getting hold of the guards, and do her spooky magic, to find out who snatched these, okay? I'm sure the more she knows, the better. Then maybe write those down you remember, and ask Mr. Blackwater for some kind of really good safe for these things?" Blitz on the other hoof, had gone inside the shed when Silver exited, and would come back with a wrench in her muzzle. She'd look up at Silver with gleeful confidence, and a smile on her muzzle. She hadn't a sliver of a doubt, that Silver could get past this, and just do even better, and she wanted to encourage her to keep working. Silver looked at the two of them, seemed to consider things for a moment. "I... there's something I have to do. Most certainly, there's someone I have to... t-to tell about this, but... but..." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I... WE... can do..." She stopped, took a claming breath, and tried again. "Okay. At least there are a couple of things I can fix right now," she nodded, and looked at her eager helpers, "so, if you could please go and get Taps for me, Ziggy, then I can set to work trying to see if we can't at least start work on your new wings, Blitz. If I can't fix what's happened, then... then I just have to fix whatever comes next." A haunted look passed over her for a moment, but she shook it off. "Okay, then... I guess," she looked at Shed #7 and sighed heavily, "we should probably clean up, and see what I do have left. With some help, this should be a snap... well, no so much an actual snap like Discord could do, but more like it'll go much easier for us if we work together." @Widdershins @Flow "Sir, do you require assistance? That crate err...seems rather heavy..." "Oh, uh... Howdy Ma'am." The farmboy stallion greeted her in a low county drawl, one that spoke of being unused to speaking up. "Had a deliv'ry fer the big place up yonder. Needed ta know where to leave 'er at? Was just gon go in the front, less iffen you knew where better to put it?" [Continue along; no interruptuions yet.] @Illiad Easle Oracle was well and truly exhausted by the time she got to the image that resonated with Dax, but she was relieved she had found something promising, "Sounds like a good lead then, spread the word of our suspects, hopefully we can find them before anything happens and get Silver's stuff back." She tried to stand, but the tar held her nearly still, so she turned on the water instead, "It... um, it'll take a bit for this to dissolve, you should get moving, I'll get out there and help as soon as I can." Dax looked at her, looked at the tub, then back at her. She could both see the look on his muzzle and feel his questions, but he knew it was important. He wasn't about to let her information go wanting for being revealed; he could tell what sort of toll it took on her. "Yeah, I'll... I-I'll be back, you just stay, ahh... put... er..." he blushed, "... sorry." The stallion then leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and trotted away furiously, no doubt headed for his father's office with a blush that would not quit.. As she waited for the tar to dissolve she realized the precarious position she had put herself in for Dax's sake. As drained as she was she wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight if someone came in looking for her, and she couldn't disguise until the tar was cleared from her chitin lest she set the whole tub on fire. A fear that was realized as soon as two things became apparent: 1.) Though Dax had closed her room door, he'd left the door to the bathroom standing wide open in his haste. Though he'd possibly locked the room's door... 2.) That measure was negated, as the servant that opened the door would obviously have a key. The prim-and-proper-looking stallion walked into the room with a batch of towels on his back, along with some cleaning supplies. It was one of Vylia's twin butlers - apparently here to do a bit of cleaning while the guest was supposedly out touring the quarry. He just walked into the room and went toward the bed, as if to make it up for the night. As he passed the bathroom, he gave a glance inside, saw the changeling in the tub, and passed right by... then, as if in reverse, he stepped backwards until he was centered in the doorway. When it registered what he was seeing was indeed there and real, his eyes went W-I-D-E... but he didn't scream, he didn't rush at her in a clumsy attack, and he didn't pull a weapon. He stared at her for a solid moment, then simply blinked. She could feel his fear, but his sense of decorum and hospitality urged him to keep from panicking; he was apparently at least a little experienced with changelings, or just strangeness in general... either way, he was a purely polite, if concerned, butler. "Do you, er... require a towel..." he asked hesitantly, his eyes glued to her, "... madam?" She was in the bath, after all.

Speak with me, yo; gimme an idea of what you're wanting. Just be aware of my biggest rules: No alicorns. No draconequui. ... other than that, talk to me. I am extremely flexible.

Dax simply nodded, but as she made the shift, his eyes grew W-I-D-E with surprise; he looked shocked, but as Mystic was a changeling, she could see past the stunned expression to feel that his heart was triphammering because he found her grown form to be gorgeous. He didn't say anything - his eyes and his heart were doing all the talking. Dax nodded, seemingly lost to communication for a bit. I didn't think it was possible that she'd ever be more beautiful than when I last saw her... and I was COMPLETELY wrong. He simply followed along into the bathroom... but when he noticed he was staring, he stopped, looked away and blushed with great intensity. But he did shift his interests when she began to draw... The picture was bordered with what looked like broken, jagged wood all around the edges, as if the viewer was peering through a broken hole. To one side was what looked like a mare, a rather attractive one, who also seemed to have some sort of grey, hazy aura around her - but it was an aura that had a strand running from it, running off behind her somewhere. Her muzzle expression was one of almost cartoonish greed, complete with salacious smile and wide, hungry eyes. She was quite lovely... but apparently wasn't someone whose inside reflected their outsides. The other form in the picture was big. Really big. I mean, WHOA, dat's a bigg'un. He was a huge earth pony stallion wearing a working harness and a saddleblanket, and looked likethe kind of pone you'd see working in the Blackwater Mines... but his expression wasn't one of greed, or lust, or even irritation; he wore the expression of someone who was simply existsing. No smile, no frown, no smirk, no bowed eyebrows. Purely a plain, emotionless, unthinking face. The aura around this one was far brighter than the mare's was; he wasn't like the other one - that much was obvious. Unfotunately, she wasn't sure if she'd ever seen these two before... but the background she'd drawn was RIGHT outside of Silver's shed. Which meant the ribbon that led from the mare's aura seemed to lead... "East..." Dax said softly as he looked at the picture. "That tendril-thing leads off to the east - out of the front gates, and towards the path down the moutnain. Nothing that way for a long time, except-" Dax's eyes grew wide. "... Mister Cragg's Mining Facility." The cemetery was quiet; whatever she'd done, Bloom had made peace with the entity here. The walk back to the labor yard was quick, and Bloom found herself within the quarry yard once more. Among the workers, there seemed to be a bit of disturbance, as many of them were whispering to each other or seemingly searching about. In passing, the mare caught a few snippets from conversations. "... DO such a thing? I mean, she don't hurt nobody..." "... said it was like someone had just blew the door clean up! It was in pieces..." "... poor thing; she's really upset over what..." "... gonna FIND whoever did this, and make 'em wish they..." "... had that filly with her too; whoever did this is a world class HEEL if you ask..." What was going on now? Maybe she could find out more at the manor, from the other servants - possibly even the On twins? "You... y-you really think so?" Silver gave a glimmer of hope, which then turned to sadness as she thought further about the situation. "Oh, but... all my plans... there were some things in there that I-" She stopped abruptly, her eyes widening as a thought occurred to her. Silver suddenly got up and made her way to Shed #7, with its' pronounced lack of a door. She darted inside, then rummaged around for a bit before things went dead quiet. After a few moments, Silver came out of her workshed looking as though she'd seen a ghost. She took five steps away, then plunked her body down onto the ground. Slowly, she looked up at the two of them. "... they're ALL gone..." she gulped, "... e-even the WORST stuff... even the worst possible thing to lose track of... all gone..." She blinked. "... what do I do now?" Clod made his way through the masses, seemingly as unnoticed as if he was utterly invisible. Making his way towards the manor, nobody stopped him, nobody spoke to him, and nobody bothered him; he was practically invisible. He found the pathway leading to the manor proper, and began to trot his way carefully up the rise and around the bend. Reaching the front walkway, he could see the door, and it even had a brass knockplate on the huge and expensive-looking double doors - that would be where to knock, of course. @Flow Which, coincidentally, Love Bloom happened to be heading nearly the same direction; the mare maid could see the broad stallion with the heavy-looking crate attached to his back, heading directly for Blackwater Manor. Maybe she could help him out a bit?

..? I'm trying to figure out a chance to get to this: I'll have something up as soon as I have the time. I don't want to call this RP dead; we've all put too much into it for that.

Dax had listened intently through the descriptions and personal experiences of the students as they spoke up, and he had to admit that they most certainly had chosen well in each instance. Again, he was awed and humbled by the sort of history that was displayed here, circles within circles as the past is brought forth again. It was like a form of reincarnation, except also partially a memorial AND a continuation... it was a lot to take in. The earth pony stallion had a decent history himself... but this? This went far beyond his own (comparitively) small family tree. "Actually, I learned a good bit from your students' presentations here, and I thank you - ALL of you - for taking the time to include and explain on my behalf." He gave a polite bow, then turned to leave... and stopped. Slowly, he faced the classroom again, and gave a shy smile. "It's kinda different for those of us who can't change shape - we're stuck with the dilemma of having to be the one defining ourselves outwardly from scratch. We have to follow who we are inside as well, but those who know us come to know what to expect when they see us - if I'm always an honest pony with the folks in the marketplace, then they'll associate my muzzle with honesty. Therefore, as long as I continue to be honest - and I will - then they'll look forward to seeing me when I show up. We have to represent what we want to be, and hope that others see the best in it." He grinned. "Our cultures are so different, yet so very many parallels between them - it's really pretty nifty, getting to see all of this firsthoof. I'm glad you shared this part with me; it does help me to understand a bit more, and understanding is what leads to peace, in my opinion." He then looked at the teacher. "Uhm, if... there's any questions, they're okay by me to ask them - unless you'd rather get back to class, ma'am?"

My own elements? Absurdity Wisdom Love Courage Justice ... and Music