Script Dangles

Everyone, I apologize so much for my continued absence. My current situation is just...horrible. To be honest, I'm pretty much depressed and morose all the time right now. I realize I'm constantly holding up the game right now...so I'm going to bow out. I thought I could keep going on like nothing happened, but I now realize that was pretty naive. Best of luck to everybody involved. And I'm sorry. SD

I've noticed that nobody (except HackTune) has followed up my last post yet. I ended it so that everybody could chime in with their thoughts, if they wanted to. Did nobody want to say anything? Should I keep going? SD

I'm sorry I darkened the mood of our game. Here's a fun little video that should brighten things up again! It's horse hockey!!! SD

"Please, if you have any information contact myself or any of the staff immediately so we can put this matter to bed. It is my job to make sure that every student is accounted for and taken care of. Now, with that being said, please to be aware of the sign ups for the Horse Hockey Team tryouts, they will be held soon." He looked around the dining hall half hoping that the young mare would be within the ranks of the students. "You may all go back to your classes, and please, any information, anything at all, let a teacher, staff, or myself know immediately. That is all." Greyhoof turned and started down the platform and through a side door. Students were chattering as they started to leave the dining hall heading back to their classes. Professor Mirror stood behind and to the left of the Headmaster. Cloaked in his shadows, it was difficult to say he was even there at all. Carefully, he listened to what he had to say. If you have any information.... He imagined the young mare that had vanished. In his mind's eye, she swam in the soothing blue and green ocean within the sphere in his desk. Then he imagined his Queen. He could almost hear her laughter echoing in his ears. The sound of it sent a shudder up his spine, like the legs of spiders, crawling up the center of his back. The Headmaster's words died from the air in the dining hall. The Professor's horn shimmered gently and he ceased to exist. ...when he stepped from the shadows once more, he was in his room again. The mirror in the corner was covered with its dust cloth. The artifact was hidden away in his desk. Neither was nearly as harmless as they seemed to be. He needed to speak to his fellow Professor again, Turner. He needed to know how much he truly understood about the danger at hand. And for his part, Smoking Mirror needed to decide if he actually intended on stopping it. * @@HackTune, @,@@Summer Breeze, 'maybe, I'm not sure yet. since we have most afternoons off, we have a lot of spare time. but I'm not a real athlete' summer said to hacktune, then she turned her face to flearia 'how about you, shall we all join the hockey team together?' then summer saw professor dangles in the hallway 'hello mister dangles, is the class going to start? what are we going to talk about today?' summer said to him. she was happy to have english now, it was her favorite subject and proffessor dangle was her favorite teacher to is that because he gives my favoirte subject or because of an other reason? summer thought by herself. The Professor entered the classroom behind all of the students, closing the door behind him as he did. He wasn't far enough behind them that he couldn't hear their conversation, though. And what he heard from the young, pretty pegasus at the front of his class made his smile. He didn't bother to hide it a bit. "A real athlete, hm?" he asked her. "I'm not so sure I've ever met one of those before. I've just met ponies who like to have fun playing sports." He gave her a little wink. "Please...don't let your inexperience or what you think might be a lack of ability hold you back from joining the team. This will be the first year the University's had a horse hockey team -- and it's much more important that we build a tradition of having fun before we worry about winning. And as for the experience and ability part...just let your coach handle that," he chuckled. He took up a position in front of the class, his eyes sweeping across all of them. "Now, before we get started today, I want to talk a little bit about Headmaster Greyhoof's message," he said, his tone growing serious. "I want each and every one of you to know that -- even above the classes I teach here at the school -- it's absolutely vital to me that every student in attendance at the University can feel secure in their safety. I realize that many of you are magically inclined," he looked briefly upon Flearia next to Summer Breeze. "Many of you are quite powerful and capable. But I also want you to know that you have my solemn promise that I will protect every single one of you, no matter what it takes. So if any of you are frightened or worried that something might happen to you...please. You can come to me at any time and I'll do what's necessary to make sure you're safe." He sighed slightly. "Okay," his smile returned. "Now that that's out of the way, let's begin our lesson..."

Oh, don't feel bad, Summer. You had no way of knowing. SD

Thank you for the kind words, Stardust. However, much like Professor Dangles, I don't like being late. I should be able to keep up, going forward. Besides, I think it might be a nice distraction. I think I could use that, right now. SD

Flearia, Unfortunately, they are. My house seems very, very empty, right now. Also: I just posted. Again, my apologies for everyone that was waiting for me. SD

The professor stopped halfway in through the doorway. He'd been furious with himself for being late. All he'd wanted was a quick drink of water...and being so new to the University, he'd managed to get himself lost along the way. Now, everything was a mess. Class was starting, the Headmaster was talking over the intercom.... He hated being late. It wasn't like him at all. He expected his students to be on time; it was a terrible example to set for them. If he was only better with magic, he could have just whisked himself away, popped in right next to his desk with a sly smile. But no. He was going to be late. All the students were standing up from their chairs, getting ready to go down to the dining hall. Script just sighed. He followed them on their way.

Everyone, Please forgive my absence. Late Monday evening, my wife was involved in a very bad car accident. I have been very busy making hospital, and now, funeral arrangements. I'm attempting to work on my post right now. Your friend, SD

Posting tonight! SD

@@Stardust*, I loved it! My favorite part of the game thus far, hands-down! SD

@@Stardust*, The mirror began to shimmer, almost if looking into a black pool of water. It gave off a greenish glow almost as dark as the deep black waters. There were sounds of little tiny hoof steps, as if a foal was trotting behind that darkness. The Professor stiffened. Something in the pit of his stomach weight slightly light. It was happening. He closed his eyes gently. He need see no more to know. She was coming. The image of a tiny foal peering back at Smoking Mirror. She tilted her head in one direction, and then the other, almost if studying the stallion that was standing before her. She then gave a very large smile and started dancing around as if trying to catch a beautiful butterfly. She would stop and look back at Smoking Mirror, and then get even more excited and continue dancing around. Finally she came to a stop, out of breath and inhaling as much air as she possibly could. Once she caught her breath she began to speak. "Gee, you sure are big and strong, you look just like my big bwobber." She giggled. "I sure hope you don't have a special some pony." She giggled again. "You sure have a huuuuuuge pwace. I would wove to see the whole pwace." She looked past Smoking Mirror and saw the orb resting on a small table. Her eyes grew very large, a very thin smile appeared on her muzzle. She peered at it, and her eyes went from a bright blue to a deep green. She could no longer hold her figure. A deeper voice came from the little foal, "Oh my dear, dear Smoking Mirror. You have done so well." The Professor bowed low. "My Queen..." he said, his muzzle almost upon the floor. He wondered if she could see the way that he trembled in her very presence. It was only then that her words settled in on him. He'd expected her to be furious with him, to shred him with scathing words. After a fashion, he deserved no less. This was...unexpected. The tiny white foal began to deform, looking as if it were very painful. She hunched over as her spine elongated, her head whipped back as her tiny face exploded into a full grown mares head and muzzle. One leg would shoot out and the almost disgusting looking mess of a pony was twitching on the floor of this dark mass that surrounded her. As the transformation was coming to an end, there could be a maniacal laugh coming from the now balled up black body of a full grown mare. She stood, her legs were thin, strong, her horn was curved in more than one direction and ridged. Her delicate wings flitted as if to dry them, as the newly born butterfly. She opened her eyes, and that deep green shot straight to the orb once again. She was beautiful. She was horrifying. She was breathtaking in the way that the hurricane could be lovely, in the way that the erupting volcano could be stunning. Professor Mirror watched her transformation in silent awe. He could hear his heart, like thunder in his ears, his breathing, like the only sound in existence. "Oh, Smoking Mirror, you got my gift. I am so pleased. Have you noticed the wonderful effects yet? Oh how this is going to be such an enjoyable time for you. You will be able to hunt and feast with the others. They will be arriving when the time is right." She gazed longingly into the orb. He looked behind himself. At first, he had no idea what to say at all. Then, he uttered the words that would surely see to his damnation. "I am humbled by your gift, my Queen," he said. "And I look forward to that time with great relish. To drink deep of their love with my brothers and sisters." Something in the pit of his stomach seemed to quiver. "OH! Wonderful, absolutely wonderful, it has already affected that batpony. This is even better than I could have imagined." She laughed and it filled the room. The Professor laughed along with her. He felt her dark delight even through the mirror. It seemed to race his veins as if it were his own blood. "But how, my Queen?" he asked her. "How does it achieve its marvelous effects?" "Do not be afraid my love, you will feel its effects soon, don't fight the feelings that you have. Embrace them and feed on them, they will give you strength. Find that pony, have her gaze into it, let it hold her, let it feed her. You are so close, you will accomplish my wishes, you will do this because you love me. Just as I love you. Oh you will make me proud my darling. I am so happy you called to me." She reached out as to touch Smoking Mirror, she looked longingly into his eyes... The Professor dared reach out, his hoof shaking as he reached out as well. To touch her, even for a moment.... ...and with a flash she vanished in a puff of smoke. And like that, she was gone. His hoof touched the cold, flat surface of the dark mirror once more. The Professor slumped into a heap, where he sat. The whole of the ordeal washed over him as a tidal wave of emotion. He began to shiver gently in place, the light from the sphere providing the only illumination in the room. He managed to look in its direction, long enough to come to an awful realization... ...its blue color. It was exactly the same as Queen Chrysalis' eyes. He thought he might have felt a tear slide down the plain of his cheek.

@@Stardust*, Just so you know, Stardust...I'm nominating that last post from you as "Post of the Game", thus far. Awesome job!!! SD

Hey, everybody! I've seen all kind of threads asking "what you would do if your favorite pony did...?"...so I thought I'd turn that question on its head a little bit. What do you think your favorite pony, assuming the two of you got to meet, would think of YOU? As an example, I'll start. My favorite pony is Fluttershy. If we got to meet, I think she'd really like how much I love animals and support animal charities. I think she'd be curious about my writing. I'm not so sure she'd get into my playing hockey, though (that's a Dashie thing, for sure). All and all, I think she'd like me. How about you?

@@Stardust* It had been a spectacular day. Outside the sun was shining. As he'd walked across campus to the building in which his classroom lay, he'd watched the big, beautiful tufts of white clouds idly gliding above him. The trees and bushes that lined the walkway were a lush, deep green and he stopped for a moment to watch a swarm of butterflies flutter above a riot of flowers between them in a chaotic dance of motion and color. It put a smile on his face as he entered the building, walking into the room the would soon be full of his students. Script hummed to himself as he arranged the books in the classroom. He liked to be prepared before a lesson. If he was going to ask that his students did so, it was only fair that he did so, as well. He started to write on the chalkboard. Today was the English part of the course. He wondered how many of his students had a passion for language and how many were just attending to fulfill a requirement of their major. He also wondered if he'd have a massive scorpion in attendance, today. Maybe he should have a lesson plan for that, too. * The sphere continued to pulse and shimmer in deep cerulean and ebon radiance. It had done so all night long. Professor Mirror knew this because he'd gazed into its depths until the candles in his room at last burned themselves down to their brass sticks. All that remained of illumination, now, was that deep and pervading glow that it shed. It was soothing, after a fashion. It was an abomination. Something that should not be, he knew. Despite its external beauty, he knew better to allow it to lull him into a false sense of security. And so, he watched it so, his dark eyes reflecting its radiance. All night long. At last, he could bear no more. The Professor stood from his seat and crossed the room to the corner, where the mirror stood. With the wave of a hoof, he shed the dust cover that shrouded it, allowing the gentle trail of smoke that perpetually rolled outward from its utterly black surface. In its depths, he could see himself reflected, the sphere and its unnatural, breathtaking glow behind him. That which appears most beautiful...is very often evil in disguise, he reminded himself. If anyone knew that well, it was she. Smoking Mirror looked into the depths of the darkness...past his reflection, past the reflection of the sphere and its kaleidoscopic shimmering. It was like immersing himself into a pool of complete, all-consuming night. Ensconced in that blackness, he whispered for her. "Your Majesty," he said. "Your beautiful, inestimable majesty. Your most loyal subject calls to you...." It was like uttering the final words of a love poem. Or perhaps, the vilest curse ever spoken.