Stardust*

Stardust had finished clearing the fog from the ship. She made her way back to the ship and started tightening ropes, getting things straightened up and looking the best that it could. The ship might not have been professionally made but it was not in rough shape either. The hull was sealed tight and the upper deck only had the best stained wood that the two ponies could find. It might have a few rough edges that could give some pretty nasty splinters but that was easily hidden. Stardust knew that only Griffons ruled the seas at this point so she made sure that anything remotely related to pony life was out of sight. The barrels filled with oats had a secret top that was filled with some of the griffon food that Winter had brought. Just in case the guards got wise and wanted to check. The royalty might know we were coming, but that doesn't mean every griffon knew. Keeping it a close secret was for the better. That way if Sombra's armies got this far no one would know of us. When constructing the ship Aria and Stardust had planned for things to go wrong. They knew that if they were caught in the ship they would not be able to escape. They built a hatch that only the two of them knew about. Under the captains quarters, it was big enough for months of food storage, or, in this case the refugee ponies. Keeping them hidden is going to be the best way for them to pass the checkpoint. Stardust went down the stairs, "Winter, I know you are angry, but I just wanted you to know that everything is ready. The ponies can move now, I will take them where they won't be found by your guards."

10/10 Love Coco.

LOL right! Let's just start over and let's say that everyone is above deck except for Psych and the kiddos since they went down to rest with the large group of ponies.

Below deck. This makes me think that somehow Psych and Wing got above deck. They were below deck and moved to the top of the ship, "above deck" Looks like she made her way up to the top deck, and I think she is trying to tell everyone to clear out and go below deck. They were on the top deck because she wouldn't be able to reach below deck if they were already there. The fight is above deck. on the top deck. Unless she threw her dagger through a hole idk how she threw it below deck.. The fight had to have been above deck in order for Aria to only have to step down from the wheel. Then everyone was above deck. There was a lot of movement in these posts lol. but from what I am getting at, the fight happened on the top deck, Psych and Wing were below deck giving a bath, then all of a sudden above deck, then Chip was below deck, then the fight was below deck and then everyone was back on the top deck by the time the fight was over. Please tell me if I am wrong, but that is just what I understood from all the posts.

lol, there are only two decks. one below where the large group of ponies should be and the upper deck with the captains quarters (Aria and Stardust's sleeping room) and where the wheel is for the ship. From Lilith's post it sounded like they were going above deck and she told everypony to go below to be out of the way. then we all of a sudden got below the upper deck down into the lower deck where the other ponies were, where you had given Wing a bath. Then we were all of a sudden back up but then you were back down. but aaaaanyway, there is only two levels on the ship. hope that makes a bit more sense and we can make edits that need to be made.

My impression was that everyone was not above deck, but I can make a quick edit.

Stardust missed all of the commotion, she had flown ahead to look for landfall. And that is just what she found! It was only a few miles out and they would finally be there. It took them less time than she had thought, but it meant that the next part would be up to her and her maps. Lady Rarity said that she knew the way, that she had the answers that they had all wanted and needed to defeat the terror of their dreams. She flew back to the ship only to find that everpony on deck had been up in hooves arguing. That's how it can get on a ship for so long, cabin fever. "STOP! Everypony, listen please, I just flew ahead, land is not far off. We should be there within the hour. We must get everything ready. Winter, you know this land, where do we need to be in order to leave the ship safely? Please, communicate that with Aria so the two of you can guide it with ease. Harcourt gather Psych and round everypony else up, make sure that the saddle bags are full with whatever food and water they can carry. This is not going to be a short trip. Lilith, mind your head, we need your skills and your sight, there is no telling what is out there." She flew down to the deck, she could see some of the shock that spread across the faces of the ponies there. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She wiped her hoof across her face, "Did I get it?" The looks on their faces didn't change, she rolled her eyes and let out a lighthearted sigh, "Well, stop staring at me and let's get moving! I will start to clear the fog so we don't come in unannounced, don't want anything to fire at us." And with that, she flew off to clear the low hanging clouds.

I have three at the moment, on my hip I have vitality in Japanese, I have a raven on my shoulder blade, and a tribalish looking eagle on my ribs that has Semper Fortis which means always strong or always courageous. I got that one when I was in the Navy. I plan on getting one more. In a couple years maybe.

-I was doing laundry... gross. house chores! lol

We should be hitting land within the next few posts?

Stardust was laying across the top of the small sail that was closest to the bow of the ship. She was day dreaming and making sure that Aria wasn't falling asleep. She longed for it to be night, she felt most comfortable in the light of the stars. She closed her eyes and thought about the future. Though about how wonderful things will be once it is done. She could see it, the color, the sound. Everything she knew that she wanted, she knew that it might take a life time, but she knew that it would be worth it. To find that music that she desperately needed in her life. She had been in darkness and silence for so long. She heard a hum, just faint, but her ears perked up. There it was, her music! She finally knew that she had always had it, right there the whole time. Inside her, and she knew it was because of her. She opened her eyes, the sun warming her coat and she stretched her wings. She looked down to a almost dozing Aria, she fluttered down beside her. She landed with a loud clomp of her hooves, trying to get a rise out of Aria, she liked to try and scare her, even though it seemed like it never worked. She put a hoof around her shoulders and pointed out to the vast waters. "Out there, somewhere, out there is going to be ours. I promise Aria, I will find it, you know I always do." She gave Aria a wink and a smile. "Now, captain, how much further to this blasted island, by my maps we should be close." She smirked and walked to the very front of the ship. The wind blowing her mane, she felt alive, she knew that things were going to be just fine.

Stardust motioned to Jazz to place her hoof on the shoe. As she did within seconds a puff of smoke rushed up her leg and rose above her head. "Green and black, house of Changling!" Stardust said and pointed her in the direction of their table. "Next, Remix." She too placed her hoof onto the shoe, and again smoke rose above her head, "Rose and white! House of Crystal!" Stardust pointed to another table sitting alongside the Changling table. "Next pony please!" Stardust continued to call the names of the rest of the first years. Placing them in their houses and making them feel like they belonged. When Jazz sat down at the Changling table an older pony nudged her, "Hey, I'm Silver Wing, don't be too worried, this house is pretty awesome. You will see, and if you ever have any questions or concerns please, don't hesitate to ask. I know it can be a bit overwhelming as a first year. But I can show you the ropes anytime." He gave Jazz a little smile and a wink and went back on cheering for the other first years. Then he stopped and looked at her again, "Oh, by the way I think you might even be bunking with a second year, she is pretty cool too, her name is Vinyl." "OOOOH! Come sit overhere!!!" A very vibrant colored pony was waving her hooves almost like they were on fire. "Remix was it?! That is such an awesome name!! I am so excited to have you here! My name is Trish.... yeah, not that exciting, so everypony around here just calls me Bubbles!" She nearly smothered Remix with the tightest hug she has most certainly ever felt. "So, I'm a fourth year here, and I am going to be your house buddy! I can't wait to get started! This is going to be such a fun year!!!" She smiled so big that most ponies thought her face would fall off. "And that concludes the sorting ceremony! Everypony please move to your houses and first years, don't worry about your things, they will be there waiting for you. First thing in the morning classes will be given to you, don't be late, but we do understand that it is going to be a little while for you to get used to everything here. Please make sure that you have your university map with you until you know your way around. Goodnight everypony! Sleep well!" Headmaster Greyhoof turned and started to sonter off to his chambers. He was not quite the spry old stallion he used to be.

This is going to be a different type of fan-fic. This is going to be one where my readers are going to control the fate of none other than Daring Do herself. I will post a portion of my fan-fic and by the end of it, there will be a life of death dilemma, and you must choose what she will do, you will find out if you have just sent Daring Do to her death, or just saved her life by the skin of her teeth. You will never know unless you choose!! So... shall we begin? Are you willing to take part in this adventure? I will allow 24 hours for my readers to deliberate and decide what decision they want to choose. Once that 24 hours is up I will post with what was the total tally. I will be writing in the meantime a little bit of both outcome so that way you don't have to wait too much longer after the vote was taken. I think this is going to be FAN-tastic! and I hope that you enjoy the adventure, so without further a due. The smell of blood was in the air, hissing and scraping of claws filled her ears. I knew that things were going to be difficult, I just didn’t anticipate it being this difficult. The earth beneath her hooves began to shake, small at first then an explosion of shaking. Just what I was waiting for! She ran and spread her wings to give her just that extra lift she needed to jump over the nasty monsters who were dazed and confused at by what had just hit them. She just reached the vine that she had been aiming for. “So long suckers! Nice meeting you!” She was a bit cocky at this point. She pulled her satchel close making sure that it was secure, this was a piece she had been looking for a long time, and it was finally in her hooves. As she reached the top of her swing she spread her wings and burst through the tree tops. Finally able to see what helped her escape, looking here and there she didn’t see much, then she turned around. “Oh horse feathers…” Where there had once been a very large and very peaceful sleeping giant there was now a piping hot and angry river of lava making its way through the rain forest. It was heading straight for the ocean on every side of it, and that is where her plane was waiting for her. She flew as fast as her wings could take her, dogging large pieces of exploding magma and rock. Anything that the lava touched burst it into pieces and some of those few into the air so high that it came within inches of hitting her. “Why… why couldn’t there just be one time that I didn’t have to run for my life??” She was questioning why she even went on these silly adventures. She heard a snap almost like the snap of an old twig, but her face wrinkled seeing as there were no old twigs in the air, she looked at her satchel strap and saw that a small molten piece of rock had landed on it and started to burn through it. Snapping the threads as it melted its way through the leather. She tried to flick it off but it was too late, it made it through the leather and it fell from her body. She dove after it, tucking her wings to get more speed, she reached for it, with everything she had. Touching the latch on the pouch it popped open reveling what had been hidden inside. It gleamed in the sunlight, brighter than almost anything in the world. Covered in magnificent gems and jewels. The craftsmanship was something that hasn’t been seen in decades. It was a bust of one of the first ponies to ever set hoof in Equestria and there it was, something that could change history forever, falling, to its demise, into a pit of lava that once guarded it, was now going to be the thing that destroyed it. Daring Do was just inches out of reach, she tucked her wings and the rest of her body so tight that she rocketed past the artifact and when she was directly underneath it she twisted her body like she had trained so many times before. Spreading her body in every direction she needed, in order to slow down just enough to catch it. Once it was in her hooves yet again she twisted back around and spread her wings, she was flying so fast that she didn’t even realize that her tail had been singed as she glided just a kiss above the lava. She moved quickly, she had to beat the lava to the beach, if she didn’t get there before it then it would be a very, very long way home. She could see hope as she passed it and it’s glowing heat. She grinned as she finally reached the beach, she hovered above the cockpit as she reached for a cloth to wrap the artifact in to keep it safe. She placed it inside a secret compartment she built especially for times like this. She plopped down into the pilots seat and she looked back as she turned the key, chuckling at her close encounter with death yet again. The key turned, the dials switched on, but the propeller would not turn. She twisted the key again, dials on, everything functional, but the propeller still refused to turn. “For the love of Luna… could this day just get any worse??!” She reached into the back of the plane looking for her whip. She knew that if she could wrap it around the propeller and pull it just hard enough it would start it spinning. She felt the smooth skin of the leather wrapped handle. She pulled it out and flew to the front of the plane, all the while watching the beach and watching the lava move at what felt like a lightning fast pace. Then there was a hissing sound. A very familiar and very terrifying hissing sound, Daring Do looked at what she had pulled from her plane and by the power of all the unicorns in Equestria she let out a filly like scream that could almost be heard across the world. “SNAKES!!!!!!! Why did it have to be snakes!!!!?” She flung the snake as hard as she could into the lava that was closing in, it landed in a sizzle and she flew to the compartment once again. This time looking inside to be sure there were no more snakes. With whip in hand, she wrapped the propeller and with one smooth motion she pulled it free setting the propeller in motion. She pushed on the levers and read the gages, she was off, pulling down her goggles it was going to be easy flying all the way home. At least that is what she thought. Just before she got out of the water the landing gear was grazed with lava catching fire, she began to smell smoke, she looked back and a cloud of black smoke was trailing her. “Seriously?... Next time, I am just staying home!” She wasn’t sure how long she could fly like this, the wind was only fueling the fire and she couldn’t just fly out and try to extinguish it and risk the chance of the plane crashing into the ocean. She spotted an island not too far off, she figured she could make it at least that far to try and land and fix up the plane. But this land was not even on her maps, heaven knows what or who would be waiting for her. Either that or just try and touchdown and kiss the water hoping that it would put it out. But if she did that she might break off the rest of the landing gear. She had to think quick, risk crash landing on a remote island with whatever may be there, or risk crashing into the ocean if her plan to try and extinguish the fire fails. What should she do? Land on the island where untold creatures and inhabitance await, or tempt fate and try to cool her landing gear and risk crashing into the ocean? This is YOUR choice! Choose wisely.

No worries, I know you are on a different time then most of us. I wanted to give you plenty of time, I saw what time you had last been on and I knew that you would be on in the evening for me. I enjoy reading your posts, the personalities of your two ponies keeps me smiling.

My answer is both. If you look at Cadence when we were taken back to the memory of her and Twilight when she was the foal sitter she was an alicorn then. My guess is that Celestia and Luna were also born alicorns. There are probably alicorn blood lines. But I am sure that the mother and father have to be alicorns. Then we see what happens to Twilight, she was turned into an alicorn after proving herself worthy of becoming one. We also hear Rarity say that she didn't think that was even possible for a unicorn or any pony to become an alicorn like that. So it is to my thought that they are normally born. But because there are other alicorns out there with the power that they hold like Luna and Celsetia and I am sure soon enough Twilight will have it, they can transform others into alicorns that they deem worthy.

What if there were appointed groups to do the judging and putting them up for voting? for each section that wants to have contests that is. Stagger them if need be to keep the forums at full capacity all the time. and maybe not every month, maybe every other month, it gives the users a chance to show off their fancy user icon for a bit. Have the sectional officers be the main go to for the groups for each designated contest, fan art, writing, music, and non-pony art, writing, music, etc. Have volunteers for those who will be the non bias judges and they can be the ones who come up with what the theme will be. it wouldn't be a huge staff decision so it would save them time and work. I know I have been looking for new art contests, I know we just had the cutie mark contest but when there is a larger prize those types are stressful to enter. If we are offering something a bit smaller I think it would put less pressure on those who which to compete. People didn't compete in the last art contest because they didn't think they would be good enough to win credits and such. but this would allow those people to push down those walls and put their work out there. I also feel that there should be much more anonymity when it comes to voting. Even for the group of judges. There should be one person who receives all of the entries, they place them in a anonymous state and the rest of the group votes on their top 10 or top 5 and then it is taken to the rest of the forums. Also staying anonymous and then when the winner(s) are chosen then they can be recognized. Just a thought. I am not sure how many sectional officers there are so this might be too much to take on, but maybe something along the lines. thanks for readin.

I am sure that during the time skip that they had quite a few interactions. It's a rather small ship compared to the others with the lack of supplies that Aria and Stardust had durin the time of construction. So whatever you think is a good balance of character development is totally fine with me.

yes, but you only have to write your posts! me on the other hand, I have to READ them and I am a slow reader as it is lol. I shiver when I see that you have posted. Everything is wonderful, it always is, but I know I have to make sure I am undisturbed for like 30 minutes to get caught up, otherwise I have to leave right at the really good point and then I am like... "NOOOO!!! LIFE WHY DO YOU CALL??!"... now I have to set aside like an hour if not more to catch up with everything. lol. <3

Super cute!! I have a pumpkin pony too!! hehe. I love the Luna picture, it shows a lot more than words can describe. and I really like the colors of your first pumpkin pony! Super adorable!