open Casual stroll

[awesomeoshawott 6]

Pen was surprised at what the pony said. "You've heard of me? Am I that popular?" Pen asked with a shocked voice. Pen knew he had his fair share of popularity, but not around here. "Sorry about that. Just a bit shocked." A short moment of silence came between them. "Well anyway, I do agree that I need some relaxation. But still a diplomats job is never done and I'm worried that when I'm on vacation here a massive conflict would happen with no one to resolve it. What do you think?" Pen asked.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

 Mezra stopped in her tracks when someone seemed to be talking to her. She looked around to find no one behind her bit then she looked to wear the voice came from. When she saw the strange... pony? Her fear seemed to fade way and be replaced by curiosity. Her dark eyes looked all around the pony, when she saw his sharp teeth instead of a look of horror a look of wonder made it way on her face.  She step towards the pony. And all around him, looking at every part of him like a test subject. She mumbled to her self as she looked him over. But when she saw a short changeling like mare who seemed rather scared and shaking like a leaf, she lets out an excited sap and ran over to her. "Oh my goodness you're so cute!"

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@awesomeoshawott,

 

"I'm thinking somepony Really need the time off."

 

Smooth let out a short laugh and kept grinning at Pen.

 

"If something comes up there's others that can take over a bit. You might do your thing like a pro dude, but Equestria will still stand even if you take a few days to chill out. And if things goes down to the wire, then hey, I'm sure somepony knows where to find you and they'll get you sorted in a hoof beat.

 

Sides, if you're suddenly on call they're gonna need to keep that head of yours cool, and that ain't happening before you take the chance to turn off the heat and soak in some peace."

 

This pony was really like he had heard. Totally into his job, but needed to chill waaay down once in a while. Didn't help him much if he was gonna burn up early because nopony ever flipped the switch for a little.

 

 

______________________________________________

 

 

 

@@Gloomfury,

 

Before Mezra had the chance to be close enough to touch the more or less mortified Brittle a thorny vine slid quickly out from under Briar's cape and blocked the route, followed by him taking a few steps in front of Brittle that then began clinging to his left hind leg and shaking with her eyes closed.

 

The oncoming mare had made her go into a adrenaline rush of fear and the jade flame had went over her, replacing her legs with Griffin ones, her wings vanished and the small horn on her head turned into a piece of wood. Oak from the looks of it.

 

Furthermore, her mane and tail had increased in length, got more bushy and were coloured powder-white with red spots, while her body had taken on a more over-all beige.

 

"I am sure you mean well, and I do apologise for the forceful nature of this, but I cannot let you nearer to her. My friend have not had the best of experience with strangers, and while I'm sure you are not a bringer of ill fortune, I would rather she were allowed her personal space.

 

I will be more than happy to address you myself if you would like the interaction though. My name is Briar Trapjaw. At your service."

 

With that he bowed his head slightly and slowly slid in the vine once more. Now that he stood between the two of them there were lesser use for them, and if there would come a use... Well, it was fortunate that it did not take him long to draw then again then, even if it were not preferable.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

Mezra calmed herself down and took a few steps back to give the, some space. "I'm so sorry for being rude. Sometimes I can't control myself when meeting strange beings I've never seen before.  I'm Mezra Umbra. But please call me, Mez." She said with a smile. Then there was a hallow sounding squeak coming from her cloak. Then a undead rat crawled out of her hood and onto her head. "Oh, and this is, Lucy."

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"Well met then Mez. And you as well, Lucy."

 

What exactly had suddenly appeared he weren't sure about. Sound had said a sort of rat or mouse, but the smell of decay seemed to come a great deal from it, and although he knew of a rats diet, they did tend to keep somewhat clean. Oh well, it was a rodent with good certainty, and they were not a general threat to his kind, so it would be enough.

 

"And you need not to trouble your mind further. Your apology is well accepted, and I would furthermore like to extend my own towards you in case I were near hitting you. I do tend to aim well, but alas, the lack of sight can at times result in a few inches to the wrong side, and if that happened, I am truly sorry. I am not poisonous, if it will ease your mind."

 

Normally he would be able to smell the unmistakable waft of coppery blood that fell when he hit somepony, but with the smell of decay near his sense of smell got confused, and he could not rule out he missed it. He would also at times be able to feel the blood as his vines returned, but if the hit were not direct and more of a situation where a thorn quickly made a passing impact the blood often took a little to flow. Clean cuts tended to be as such.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom, 

 

"On no, it's alright. The markings on my cloak are enchantments that make my cloak as strong as armor. That, and  I'm immune to a lot of poisons. A friend if mine taught me how to turn my blood into antivenom.  And if you have trouble aiming why don't you open your eyes?" Then she thought about it for a  second. "Oh no, are you blind? I'm sorry."

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

Briar chuckled slightly.

 

"I could easily open my eyes madam. However, I think you will find that it's a little..."

 

Briar opened his eyelids, showing the blank, green background there where clearly, there had never been anything resembling eyes.

 

"Pointless. At least for now.

 

And there is no reason for you to be sorry. It was a fair comment that it would have helped to open my eyes, especially since it does appear that I just simply closed them."

 

Normally Briar closed his eyelids again, but for the sake of argument, he decided against it this time. It made him look quite a bit more odd than he already did - and made his otherwise calming facial expressions carry an eerie edge to them - but he had been called far worse, and since the mare had not tried to burn him yet he would take his chance and entertain this mood that had struck him..

 

"The sharp teeth are off-putting for most, so I find it easier to simply... Hide, a few features until needed to ease things along. It would hardly be a good way to enter a town like this and with my vines spread to the sides after all. Not if I wanted any sort of non-violent interaction.

 

You mention some enchantments, yes? I don't recall that being a common usage of unicorn magic as a whole. Your speciality perhaps? If you don't mind me asking that is."

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

 "Oh I don't mind. "She said not being phased at all by the ponies eyes or teeth. "And it's one of my specialties. I also know alchemy, restoration and summoning magics. Along with a few others.  And I can understand what you mean. Most ponies would run in fear when seeing something they don't understand." She said as she pets her rat while she slept on her shoulder. "But I've seen many things that would drive ponies with the strongest of wills into insanity.  When I see something I don't understand I can't help but get excited and fascinated. I guess you could say that I love the unknown." She said with a giggle. 

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"The unknown has it's charms, certainly. At the same time however, one should thread with some care. You never know if the new ground you thread on will crumble beneath your hooves after all."

 

This was getting rather interesting. Mez did not seem at all fazed, and were furthermore in a very talkative and pleasant mood from the sound of it. He were still not going to move away and expose Brittle though, she were far from ready to speak from the continued shaking and clutching he felt. It also did concern him a little about the part where the mare had mentioned she had seen things that would drive most mad. It was a comment that could mean a great many things, so he were not sure where to put Mez currently. Perhaps things would become clearer during their chat.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

 "Well when dealing with the magic I practice there is a high chances of something bad happening. But I guess that's why I find the appeal of it.  There's always a possibility of me dying, getting dismembered, losing my soul, getting trapped in another world, falling into the endless void, being possessed or even going three times as mad like that one time I read from the Necronomicon and summoned an Old One. Who knows, that's the fun." She giggled as she starting to get giddy.

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"That's... Quite the range of possibilities."

 

The laundry list of bad things that she could encounter with her made Briar raise an eyebrow and stop for a short second to find words more suitable than to ask if she were some sort of nut job. He wasn't in a place to judge, certainly, but there came a point where even he could take a sort of higher ground and think that something went a bit too far, and giggling over possibly losing your soul made him think that line had long seen been left in the dust.

 

Perhaps it would be best not to ask for too many details regarding this, especially the last point. He wasn't sure what an *Old one* were, but something told him he could live blissfully unaware if it didn't get specified further.

 

"Is it magic that brings you to this small corner of Equestria then?"

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom, 

 

"Somewhat, yes. I'm on a trip to look for new things I can use in potions. I am also taking a little break form my experiments. After that time with the old one it's left be very drained.  Mentally, physically and magically. Also a little emotionally. But these things happen." She said with a sigh. "And I guess I could use with a little rest. I've never had a vacation before and so far it's been pretty good. Right now I'm heading towards the Everfree to look for new ingredients."

Edited November 8, 2014 by Gloomfury

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"T-The forest? But... It's dangerous... Howling t-things..."

 

Brittle slowly opened the light-green eyes and looked at the formerly forward rushing pony and the... Rat? It looked a little weird.

 

"She is correct. From what I have heard the last day or so I have been here, the forest is dangerous at night if you're not careful. Something called *Timberwolves* seemed to be a often used warning from what I had heard.

 

If you are weakened perhaps it would be unwise to wander into that at night?"

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

 Mezra just chuckled. "Timberwolves, that's all? I've dealt with creatures five times scarier and dangerous then timberwolves. With them you just have to know where the heart root is and destroy it. Or burn them." She said with a shrug. Then she casted a spell with her ghoastly toxic green and black magic and then  made a fireball of the same color and placed it in her hoof. "If you want I could show you."

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

When the fireball were summoned Briar took a small step backwards. He might not be able to see it, but there was no mistaking fire, no matter what kind.

 

"I appreciate the offer, but... Please get that thing away from me. My kind is highly flammable, and I'm far too young to return to the earth yet."

 

Fire always made him nervous. Through all the years in the pit, it had been rained down upon them that they should be thankful because they had not been burned to the core when they bloomed like in the old days, and although they themselves were capable of catching fire just as much as his outcast rank they had been more than willing to taunt them by tossing down a few things that burned at times. It didn't ever result in any of them actually being burned, but it left a trauma that were not easy to be rid of.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

"Oh, sorry." She dispelled the flame.  "So you really are a plant being. Like an Ent or a Nymph.  That's amazing! I've met a few creatures that were like you. Some were nice some wanted to eat me or turn me into one of them. But that's how these things go. But anyway, since you're a plant being dose that mean you and you're friend are heading to the Everfree as well?"

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"Thank you. And yes, I am a plant being you could say. My kind are called the Evergrown, and we vary in appearance depending on numerous factors such as where we grow and random mutations."

 

The flame being removed put him back at ease again. He was not sure how much it would take to burn him to the core, but he would frankly prefer not to know either. Some thing were best to be left as questions and then move on, and his own fiery end was firmly amongst those.

 

"About the Everfree though... That really depends on you Brittle. have you been enough to town for tonight, or would you prefer to stay a little longer?"

 

He addressed the filly that were still hiding behind him, but at least didn't latch on to him anymore. The stepping back had surprised her a little, since she didn't think Briar was afraid of anything, but uhm... S-She supposed anypony could be afraid of something, and at least his fear made sense.

 

"...I-I'd like to l-leave... Please?..."

 

"As you wish my dear."

 

He turned his head towards the mare once more. He might not be able to see any of them, but addressing them while facing them really did seem like the best mannered way to handle things for him, so he switched between where he *looked* when he had spoken with them. Before talking with Brittle though, he had closed his eyelids again. No need for her to see that part currently.

 

"The answer to your question would seem to be yes, we are."

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

A large smile made it way on  Mezra's face. "That's fantastic. How about we all go there together? You two seem like a fun bunch. While on the way we can get to know each other better. I love shearing stories!"  She said while casting a spell that mad about ten orbs of light that were the same color as her magic. They almost looked like wisps as the danced around her and the others. "Don't worry, they're just balls of light made form my own soul, not fire."

[Hurricane 159]

"You don't know what Nightmare Night is?!" Midnight was obviously very shocked. "It's only the best celebration in the world." she said. "It started as a celebration with the bat ponies. When our kind lived up in the clouds. It was a time to celebrate the night with family, friends, and festivities except back then, it was called the Festival of the night. One Festival, a few of the bat ponies decided to come down to Ponyville. The ponies had never seen a bat pony before. They we're all very scared even though the bat ponies never wanted to scare anypony, but the eventually found it fun to scare ponies. Every year on the same night, some of the bat ponies would come down to scare the ponies, but then, they would leave candy on the doorstep of every pony they scared. Slowly, the normal ponies started to get used to he bat ponies. Then, Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon and that whole fiasco happened, now the celebration has evolved to focus around Nightmare Moon. That's why it's now called Nightmare Night" she finished her story. "Nopony remembers the Festival of the Night anymore."  Midnight sounded a little sad.

[awesomeoshawott 6]

(Wow. 4 days have passed and we're almost done with the page. Moral of the story, never sleep you will miss everything.)

 

"Your right, this is my vacation so I have to relax. Plus there are many people higher up than I am." Pen said. He was enjoying his conversation with his new acquaintance. From what Pen heard ponyville was the type of town where everyone knew each other. It was a welcome change to canterlot where you had to choose a strict allegiance to one "faction" and strictly oppose another. Pen was starting to get excited to finally get to ponyville. He looked out the window to see how far they were. Pen estimated they were about 25 minutes away from ponyville. It was one of the few times where Pen was truly content. He smiled with high hopes for the future.

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"...We might as well. I implore of you though, please choose your stories with care. Brittle have had enough scares for a day as it is."

 

Brittle did still look like someone was about to throw something at her, but she had gotten another look over her as well after the soul lights had come out. It was a sort of fascination with the lights, but at the same time being scared of them. It was weird to her. usually it was scared equals stay away from, but for some reason the lights got her attention in a way similar to a moth being attracted by the flame.

 

She didn't say anything though. Just stayed behind Briar, ready to move when they would and otherwise just eyeing the lights and whatever else Wez was going to do.

 

____________________________________________________

 

 

@,

 

"So you scare ponies, then put candy? And after her majesties episode it became focused around her instead of the old tradition?"

 

At the mention of Princess Luna, Last Stand suddenly got a more rank posture. It was short-lived, as she toned it down again right after she noticed she had done it, but it did say something when it was her instinctive reaction to correct her posture just at the mention of the princess of the night's name.

 

"Name or not, unless the core's changed, I can't see the issue. Then again, I've never been raised with holidays, so what do I know? Perhaps there's something in a name around here."

 

Last Stand were getting a little less on edge from talking with Midnight, so she decided to keep it going for now. Anything to distract her from the insomnia were a welcome sight right now.

 

"Where I'm from, the only name that's important is the one we fight for, and we don't have time to rest, only train. Or well, we Didn't, until those cowards left the place to rot after her majesty returned to us, leaving me hanging on a pile of nothing. Good for nothing little..."

 

She could feel an edge come on again, and her eye got an icy glare over it, but it wasn't directed at Midnight. It was for somepony else that wasn't there, but she clearly held little regards towards.

 

 

________________________________________________

 

 

 

@@awesomeoshawott,

 

"That's the spirit bro. Go at it with that in mind and you're gonna get cooled down in no time."

 

Smooth gave him a quick, soft bump on the should with his hoof. It was always the best to go into these sort of things with a mind to it that you had to relax. If you thought of it as forced and longed to get back to the busy life, you'd just get more stressed out. Wasn't a life to be all bent out of shape like that.

 

#So, what're you gonna do when there eh? Tour the Apple Acres? Stroll through the Everfree Forest? Bit of exploration?"

 

He was always curious with things like this. He'd been in Ponyville a good deal of times before and knew a few places it was pretty nice to have a look at, so it was always fun to hear if he knew the place somepony were gonna go to in advance and might be able to share a few words about it. That or be cryptic, whatever way the waves went.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

 Mezra smiled and looked over to Brittle. She noticed that she was staring at her soul wisps intently. So Mezra made them dance a little more to help Brittle feel less afraid. "Alright, I think I know a few stories that aren't very scary." She said as she started heading towards the forest. She started thinking of stories she could tell that wouldn't give the changeling a heat attack. "Hmm, would you guys like to hear about the time I got trapped in a fairy ring?"

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@@Gloomfury,

 

"That sounds like an interesting tale. I would certainly enjoy hearing more. What about you Brittle?"

 

Brittle were still having Briar between her and Mez. The dancing lights were pretty, and she didn't seem that frightening anymore, but she still felt a lot better having him between them just in case. At least she had gotten down enough to change back to her *regular* self before they went walking. She liked her tail the way it usually were.

 

"U-Uhm... Okay... Please?"

 

She were still a wreck when it came to talking to ponies without stuttering and being unsure what to say, but she at least spoke with her, so that was good enough... Right?

[Storm Shine 1,196]

Storm stood up and yawned, looking around sleepily. "Huh, I must've fallen asleep while staring at the moon..." He thought, shrugging before stretching out his wings and everything. "I wonder- *Yawn*- how Brittle's doing..." Storm mused. "I'm sure she's fine with Briar.. Though I'll want to check up on her sometime... For now, maybe I should go see how Blitz is doing.. Maybe I can see what she thinks of the 'Boom Bomb Muffins' I made..." He decided with a smile, heading towards Blitz's hut.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Storm Shine

[Blitz Boom 4,620]

@,

 

"Jeez. This ain't a place for anypony to be hanging 'round, much less live in."

 

Chipper had figured that before he headed home he could fly out and make sure that wherever Blitz had come from were safely locked up so there weren't anything in the forest that would sneak in and mess with things. He wasn't entirely sure who it would be worse for, but considering the minor blast field he'd found he would put his money on the forest currently.

 

It had started with a few holes and some spotty patches of grass he'd taken notice of, and then it rapidly escalated into an array of holes, little to no vegetation, discoloured ground and finally, a stone hut with a shack next to it, both with open doors.

 

He took good notice of where he stepped when walking through this place, just in case something were lurking or there was a trap somewhere, but it didn't seem like there were anything. No beasts, no traps, and (thankfully) nothing burning. Heck, he couldn't even hear a Timberwolf, and those overgrown thorn bushes usually made at least a bit of sound. Were they avoiding this place? That'd be a neat trick, but sounded a bit stretched. They probably just had another place to hunt for now, and thank Celestia for that.

 

Looking between the two... Well, guess you could call one of 'em a building at least, but looking between 'em he decided to try to have a look at the shed. It looked to have been used for tools back in the days and he figured it still was. Until he popped his head within the door frame and had a look that was.

 

What was in there was a simple, small bed with a blanket that had both seen better days, a wooden bucket of sorts with water in it, a small box marked *Food Stuff* in crude, pink letters and a sort of guard mechanism at the door that had been turned off connected to a bag he really didn't wanna know what was in. There wasn't a picture or anything really personalised in here, which just added to the sad atmospher in his head.

 

"Dang it lil' one. Where'd you come from that's so bad that you'd rather stay here?"