open Casual stroll

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Denim&Venom

 

"Good, now focus, and try to turn the fear into a link. The fear must remain, this is not about conquering your fears, but rather using them to protect you. Fears can hold us back, but they can also be used to hold the world back as a way to keep us and our kin safe," Charlie explained. He then realized he had no idea what happened to his seeds when he exploded. "You have shown me a new fear. You have made me realize that my own offspring may not be safe. They may not even get the chance to begin their lives. Seven seeds I had before I exploded. This will be the next link in my chain, and the first thing I will do when I can walk in the physical world is look for them." He wasn't panicking, there would be no sense in that, but he was worried.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Seamore Sandwich

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom

"I didn't get your name, sir. I'd just like to say thank you for taking some of your time off to help us out here."

Senlin reached into the recesses of his memories and made sure each detail was just right. In all respects, Lin was almost like him in appearance save for the stubs on her head as female longma didn't grow horns as big as the males and considering she was very young when she got lost, those horns haven't fully developed yet. The rest were given, though: brown coat, green spines, and a flank mark bearing the symbol "林" 

The feeling of being accepted outside of his clan was still foreign, possibly something Discord must have felt despite his likely chaotic, unpredictable nature. Maybe Omen felt that, too. The concept of empathy is one that Senlin was taught over and over but had difficulty emulating outside of those closest to him. There was no reason to try it now that he is in a situation that he is on both the ends that could give and receive it. Omen and the night guard pony were the first to show reactions beyond distancing themselves.
 
Right now, there was another that needed to be found. Anything about Discord, even a meeting with him could very much help Omen. A visit to Twilight's castle was in order. 

Edited December 18, 2015 by EQ_Theta

[Denim&Venöm 19,151]

@@Seamore Sandwich,

Allure was breathing in and out heavily, as she saw the Siren tower over her defenseless, frightened kit. She closed her eyes tightly. "Do this to keep them safe. Do this to keep them safe. Do this to keep them safe. Do this to keep them safe..." The look of focus and determination was clear on her face. The Siren lunged at the kit. It's scream was piercing. But right before the Sirens fangs sunk in, both kit and creature turned to black, their forms loosing their shape, spinning spiraling, coalescing, in a messy swirling mass of shadows, until, slowly, the shadows were shakily forced into shape, into the links on a chain. 

[Moonlit 593]

@@Denim&Venom,

@Seamore Sandwich,

@Blitz Boom,

 

Serenade's dreams are just as unsettling. Serenade finds herself racing through the castle, with hundreds of changlings nipping at her tail. As soon as she turns to face one, another darts in and bites the opposite side causing her to yell out in pain. And everywhere she turns, she can hear the laughter of the queen, echoing in the halls of the castle.

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Denim&Venom

 

"You're doing great. Now repeat the process with other fears and memories, creating new links until you have a chain long enough to wrap around the door a few times. It's okay to make one memory or fear into multiple links, just know that it makes the chain weaker. The links are only as strong as the emotion that goes into them and spreading one fear into several links divides its strength among those links, so be sure to do it with the strongest ones only." Charlie continued, focusing his fears into new links, lengthening the chain at both ends, being sure to do so at a slow pace so Queen Allure could keep up.

[Blitz Boom 4,641]

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"Name's Stargazer,.. Senlin."

 

Stargazer had taken some time to say the name as he was reading it off the papers the Longma had filled out and signed, as he wasn't the only one who didn't know the other's name. It was perhaps something he should have asked about earlier, but he had a few others things on his mind and it had slipped away.

 

"And I'm just doing my job. Might not be the kind I was thinking I'd do it for, but it doesn't change things in my mind. Not like you're hostile after all."

 

Truth be told you might more say that he was getting jaded these days. You didn't spent the better part of your life on guard duty without seeing your share of oddities, and if you gave it enough time those oddities would start to look like nothing special after a while. Might have been different if he hadn't met a Longma before, or if Senlin had acted threateningly instead of starting on a good hoof, but that was true to most others. He didn't take kindly to aggressive beings.

 

Taking up the signed papers and stacking them on the edge of the table, Stargazer took a glance to make sure everything was in order before raising his head and looking at Senlin again, ignoring the odd one who was looking out of the window currently.

 

"I'll get started on the last papers that needs to follow it and then send it off to Canterlot. If any news arrive, they will be sent here to Ponyville, so check in once in a while to make sure."

 

__________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

"One of these?"

 

A few minutes after Serenade had dozed off and she was done looking at Ziggy that had laid down in front of the Siren with the dazed look still on her face, Omen came over to Princess Luna with two books. It was a good deal lesser than she had the other times, but this time she had something to compare to: The book Serenade had found earlier that she had tried to compare with. It would be up to Luna to see if one of these was correct though, or just more revisions or later/earlier editions like the one Serenade had found.

 

_________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Frosty Frost,

@@Summer Breeze,

@@Damonater,

 

Blitz, having gotten the food she had wandered off to get, would be on her way back to the place she last saw the others. As they weren't there when she eventually arrived, she would think on it a bit and then go to Summer's house, thinking she recalled them saying something about going there. Her arrival would be shortly after the rest of the group have reached the house.

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom,

"Thank you, Stargazer. I think I'll be walking around town for a while, maybe have a look at the castle." 

The truth of the matter is that Senlin already had his plan set out. His concern had been settled at the moment but Omen's hadn't been fully addressed. Now is a perfect opportunity to sort out Omen's problem and maybe even meet a princess of Equestria. As the two of them set out, the longma realized that he knows very little about Omen, what she is or how she came to be.

 

"Omen, can you tell me more about yourself?" 

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by EQ_Theta

[Summer Breeze 2,528]

@Damonater, @Blitz Boom,@Frosty Frost,

the sun suddenly hid her face behind clouds and it got really dark in the ever free forest. suddenly summer felt uneasy what's wrong with me? she thought i have been here so many times before, why am i scared? but then she shaked her head, it must be the fact she hasn't been here in a long time. 

summer looked around her, frosty and damon where following her and damon held his hands around the dangerous thing. but the fact he did that didn't make summer scared at all, instead it made her feel safer. she went a bit closer to damon and started walking a little bit faster. it was not far to her house anymore. 

[Blitz Boom 4,641]

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"Alright, just stay out of trouble okay?"

 

He didn't wait to hear if there was an answer to his inquiry before getting back to filling out the rest of the paperwork he needed before he could send this. It wasn't terribly interesting work, but he was getting rather tired and the light work was frankly more welcome in that state.

 

Outside, Omen followed Senlin in looking around without a word, taking notice of the weird ways the townsponies seemed to act around him. She was close to saying something when Senlin beat her to it, and she turned to face him.

 

"About me?"

 

She tilted her head slightly to the side, but kept her gaze on his eyes. She hadn't heard others ask about her before without it being something akin to if she was evil, what she was, and how she could serve master Discord like she had. Those were rare though, since most just said things at her and then moved away, or didn't care, but now somepony wanted to know, yet this time without the questions that usually followed it. Nothing specific, nothing explaining what he wanted. It was not like the other times.

 

"What do you want to know?"

 

What was the nature of his questions? She had no idea, but she would answer what she was asked like she always did. THough perhaps this time, she would say more than normal? Not always she said everything, just the base of what was asked, but Senlin had said they were friends, and friends were supposed to say everything.

 

...Right?

 

_________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

"Front and centre Last! Now!"

 

The voice mixed with the alarm as Vivid opened her eye and looked up into the face of Captain Mulcher, her direct superior back at the shrine. The sight confused her for a second, but she reacted like she always did and rose up, grabbing her sword and following the pony as him and a few dozen others in their barrack were already running towards the exit.

 

How was she back here again? They were dismissed after all, this place should be abandoned, not... Wait, a dream? Was this a dream?

 

As she got outside and looked up into the air where both the bell rang and the faint shadows of a few winged combatants could be seen far away, she dismissed hte thoughts and narrowed her eye instead. She didn't have the time to think about if this was a dream when Those things had their scouts send out so near to them. Whatever else she might have recalled happening could end up being the dream, and she wasn't going to risk hers and everypony else's life over what she thought might be a dream.

 

"Last! You're with me."

 

The captain's voice rung over the bell close-by and she followed him across the first stage of their home towards the courtyard. As she looked up once more, she saw the winged ones had taken off and disappeared. For some that might be a good sign, but not for her. She knew better. This just meant that the scouts were returning to the flock, and they had perhaps a minute more before the swarm would start to flow towards them.

 

"Reporting for duty sir! What's your orders?"

 

The captain looked at her, then turned his head and looked towards the sky. It surprised Last some, as she was used to being delegated to one of the sides. To being told she was to stay here in the middle as the field started to fill up... It was a sign of trust, and as she assumed battle position behind the captain and prepared for the eventual swarm, her mind cleared up from the silent words the captain had said.

 

She wasn't going to make them be in vain.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Blitz Boom

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Blitz Boom

 

The being from behind the black door reached its massive hands out of the staircase in the hall of dreams, pulling itself forward, toward the doors that were still there. The hall had not changed itself for him, even the hall itself didn't know he was there. There he found a door that was still active, one with Last's cutie mark on it. The door opened and the creature of darkness crawled its way in, unseen, unheard, and undetected. For he could not be noticed, that was something that was taken from him long ago...

Edited December 20, 2015 by Seamore Sandwich

[Blitz Boom 4,641]

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

The seconds seemed to tick by before finally, the dark cloud started to roll towards them.

 

"Everypony be ready. And let none of them escape this time."

 

The swarm hadn't been there many times. It took them time to rebuild their numbers before they tried again, and they had to rethink from what they could learn from any of them that managed to return back. The last time she remembered, three of them had managed to dodge out and escape, so ever since then they had to rethink their own strategies as well, incorporate new routes and times for the guard shifts and reinforce some places. A few they even had to completely remake.

 

But it was the bane of things with these things. They wanted desperately what they were guarding, so time and time again these overgrown insects would be sent towards them to try and claim it for their hivemasters, even though Last didn't think they even knew what it was that laid sealed in the very centre of the shrine. The only one who knew that was the princess herself, though that fact alone was likely why the hive tried to get to the object.

 

Not enough to show themselves though. No, they had only made that mistake once, several generations before her, and they had barely made it out of there themselves. They learned their lesson after that, though not enough to stay far away from to begin with.

 

But there was no time to think on that. The swarm grew closer, and as the first of them started to make the descend, the order was called from far above them all. From the general herself, whose words made every voice grow silent around them.

 

"Let them drop from the sky, and the ones that remain fall like grass to the scythe. Prepare yourselves, and fire!"

 

With that, the first of the ranged weaponry they had fired off the large arrow with the home-made explosive set on the edge. headed directly for the swarm. They didn't have many of these, and they wouldn't have the time to reload, but to get the worst of them out of the sky was a boon they would not waste. Who would remain of the Mantids after that was up to them to handle.

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Blitz Boom

 

Just as the attack begins, the being reaches toward Last with a hand as large as Last by itself, undetectable until he has her in his grasp. Then there was darkness.

 

The waking world:

"Hello? Can you hear me?" said a grey pony with no mane, no tail, no color in his eyes, no distinctive features, and a faint blur where his cutie mark should be. He looked at Last with a look that, aside from a small glimmer of something that could either be worry or hope in his eyes, seemed almost expressionless. They were in the castle, nopony else around.

 

@@Blitz Boom

@@Moonlit

 

Luna looked at the first book, which Omen had pulled from the bottom half of the second to last bookshelf on the right. "Elizabeth's Guide to Entertaining Evergrown, Seventh Edition, and what's this?" she asked, looking at the other book, one from the upper part of the same shelf. "Sixth Edition Everwood Environmental by Eden Gardens. Not quite what we're looking for, but I feel we are getting closer. Keep looking, I am confident we will find it soon."

Edited December 20, 2015 by Seamore Sandwich

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

The idea sounded a lot better in Senlin's head before he asked the question. He had a rough idea on how to go about this but he hadn't thought about it thoroughly.

 

"Well, I haven't got the best way to go about this but, let's start over with your name. I'm not sure what you are as well or what your connection to Discord is other than calling him 'master.'"

 

There was a pause just after that and though those were safe questions to ask, the latter-most one was may have been disconcerting. Even the seemingly harmless questions could cause problems. Senlin remembered his elders' words and scrambled to add to the last thing he said.

 

"Look," Senlin sighed. "I know this may come off as odd knowing that I just called you friend not too long ago but if you don't feel like sharing information, I'll understand. There's no need to do so if you don't feel comfortable with it."

Edited December 20, 2015 by EQ_Theta

[Blitz Boom 4,641]

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"...We don't know what we are."

 

Omen had paused slightly after what Senlin had said about not needing to tell, turning that in her head a little before talking, figuring that she had already been prepared to tell, so why should she not? It was what it was after all, even if she couldn't understand all she would tell.

 

"Some say we are shadows with souls, others that we are damned that got lost. Some just say we are monsters, and there is no reason for us to be but spite.

 

We hear this from those we guide, and those we bind ourselves to, but we don't find it an answer. Only mother remembers what once was, and where we come from, and she doesn't tell. Not about how we started, how we are made, or how long we have lived. We are curious, but we don't question her that holds us together."

 

Omen trailed off a little by the end, thinking to herself a few things that many of her siblings had in their time too, though none would voice it in the presence of mother. Not because they feared her, but because they knew it would only be met by silence, and mother's time was better used than that.

 

"How long we have been only she knows. The first of us to gain form, and the one who never forgets. She tells us all to seek what she did long ago, that we may become something more like her, remember, and find a meaning. But we cannot go on our own, for that we need magic, so we flock to those who comes through, eager to see the worlds beyond and become something.

 

Mother says our lives don't begin before we get a shape, so we are given no names. We are family, but few stays who have gotten their name, seeking a new life in the other worlds. Not all can, but mother says it is part of life to take the risks.

 

We don't understand it, but we follow her words. Just like I did when master Discord suddenly stood amongst us."

 

A few pictures of that day went through her head. Of how there had been the same darkness there always were, and then suddenly, a beast of many shapes suddenly stood there, scratching his head and saying strange words about being lost a little.

 

"To be chosen, we offer those strong of magic to serve them. In exchange for a form, a name and the life mother speaks to us about, we do what is asked, and learn what we can from those who gives us shape. Our masters.

 

Only one can be bound to any being, or it tears at them too much. The magic is taxing for most, but when master picked me amongst all the others and made me to what I am, he didn't even seem winded. His magic were strong, Perhaps even strong enough for more than one of us, but he said he only needed one. So he took me with him to his home. The chaotic realm of Equestria."

 

She looked up into the sun for a bit before returning her gaze to Senlin. The light didn't hurt her eyes, but it made her mind grow silent when many things were there, and right now there were memories, thoughts and confusion fighting over what to say. It was one of the reasons she liked this world. The very light so many others took for granted, but was a wonder and a miracle for her.

 

"Master gave me my name, and taught me the ways of the world before he vanished, and when he did, the world turned strange. I returned home, looking sometimes, but otherwise waiting for him to come back or the world to go sane again. In time though, mother sent me back here, and told me to accept the ways this world now worked and find a place in it, yet all I found was longing for master. At least until the strange one found me."

 

She tilted her head to the other side this time, but much like before, didn't shift from looking at his face.

 

"You went out to find somepony too. Could you return to what was when you find her? Or have the world changed you too?"

 

Omen had more to say if it were, but she got her own questions, though she kept some of them back for now. She had enough time to ask things if it were after all.

 

________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Moonlit,

 

"Okay."

 

With that, Omen left the books in the stack she had made of the others - except the one she compared with - and went on to look at the shelf she had been at before again. If Luna said it was close, perhaps it was near where she stopped? Or she had missed it perhaps? It was possible, but they would see.

 

_____________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

"Gurgh."

 

The low word was said before Last woke up with a shock. The attack had been a dream after all, but as the darkness had suddenly taken her in she had still been hit by fear that it could still be real the few seconds before she got back to the castle. The fear that the darkness that had eaten some of her people had returned, though this time didn't bother to just look at them.

 

The words spoken started to filter in to her as she rose up from the stone floor and shook her head a little. Though when she opened her eye and looked at the one who had spoken, she wasn't sure if it wouldn't have been better if she had just ignored it.

 

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

 

She looked around her, trying to find the sleeping Seamore that had been here when she passed out, but finding nopony. Furthermore, she couldn't see to see her sword anywhere, which was alarming when faced with something that looked like... What really? A ghost?

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@@Summer Breeze,

@@Blitz Boom,  

@@Damonater, 

 

When the sun hid itself behind some clouds Frosty got a bit scared. He hadn't really explored the Everfree forest much, but he didn't like the thought of being in it in the dark.

He worried himself. What if we got lost because of the darkness? he thought, shivering a bit. "Are you sure you know where we're going?" he asked Summer, trying to hide that he was really worried. For once he didn't like it being dark.

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

All of what Omen said was difficult to take in, not because he got lost somewhere in her explanations but because Senlin couldn't imagine a life like hers. Indentured to a master may be a benefit or a detriment What that was for Omen was only for her to know but to him, he wouldn't know how to feel if he were in her place. In the end of it all, satisfying her longing for Discord may as well be a blessing to her. The world changed, for better or worse, but life went on for both of them. 

"I... I don't know what to say, Omen," Senlin began as he started collecting his thoughts. "I guess the world must've changed dramatically for you with Discord's magic influencing it. To see it all go away and want something other than what was left..."

That last question directed towards him was just as paralyzing. Lin was the world to him and they were much closer than mere brother and sister. They say the first friends anyone meets is the family and it was very much true to Senlin. 

"When my clan gave up trying to find my sister, I left my home to find her. Somehow, I didn't believe that she was truly gone and I've been on the road for a very long time in the hopes that I may be reunited with her. One thing I learned throughout my journeys is that every day, we bring baggage with us and with each stop along the way, we let go of some of that baggage and pick up new ones. I doubt things will ever be the same should I see Lin again; the world changed for sure but I don't know if the worst will change me. I blame myself for losing her. It's my fault I didn't look out for her when she needed me most. I doubt she'll forgive me for that."

He'd never discussed his greatest failure to anyone but that guilt consumed him. He wasn't sure if making himself vulnerable was the best course of action but he felt he needed to let it out. If Omen was being honest with him, then perhaps being honest with her was the right thing to do. Right then and there, whatever Omen's reaction to what he said was all he waited for. 

Edited December 20, 2015 by EQ_Theta

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"I don't know. I don't know where I am," the unusual pony said with the slightest hint of fear in his voice. "I don't know who I am either. I know I once did know and have since forgotten, but it was a long time ago. Years? Decades? Centuries? What I do know is that I have been forgotten, and so too have you. Nopony can see us or remember us. We walk the boundaries between the Realm of Dreams and the waking world. In dreams you can be seen and remembered, but once they wake up, they will forget you again. I'm just glad that I'm no longer alone."

[Melke 160]

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Blitz Boom,  

 

Syo closed the portal with a small flick of her staff. "I didn't realise that she was THAT timid. Of all the creatures and dimensions, it is always the quiet ones that I can't get along well with. I will go and find her..."

 

Syo did not give any pony much time to tell her otherwise before she blinked away to a place unknown.

 

@@~Sole~,

 

"Former home to some magical artifacts? That's more than enough reason for him to be stationed there. But what I don't understand is... who or what would support him? Only some power hungry fool would fall for his temptations... or maybe... someone with suppressed emotions? I don't know enough of this place to form the answer..." Dyr said in a rather quick fashion as she reached the wall.

 

She walked along the wall for a bit and then she stood back. "A magical territory? You sly dog..." Dyr muttered as she took up her scythe and then winded it up and the blade glowed in a cooling blue. "I see your game, and I am going to play it."

 

With a heavy swing, Dyr sliced the wall but opened a sort of spacial rift. "Ok, Sole. This is the entrance to his turf. Once inside, stick close and be aware of your surroundings. I know it is a trap and possibly designed for me but... I am not the type that backs away just because it is a trap, I'd face it head on."

Edited December 20, 2015 by Melke

[Blitz Boom 4,641]

@@Melke,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

Not far from where they had started, Briar was standing and consoling Brittle to the best of his abilities. He had never had one to care for, and his ideas about how to do so was regrettably spotty at times because of it. Whereas most others could be dealt with in this manner by speaking softly of logical things, it didn't work with this one, and it had taken him a few tries before he got that the best he could do was just to hug her, stay silent, and wait for the shaking to stop.

 

It wouldn't take long, and within 6 minutes of having left, he would be ready to go with her towards the others again, keeping in mind that he had to have a minor word with Syo there if he had the chance and ask her to please not show the corpse again in polite terms. But all in due time. First off, it was time for them to go back to where they came from, and then see if their companions were still there.

 

______________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

Last just stood and looked at the odd thing, then blinked a few times while her brain tried to process it.

 

"Riiight... Sure we are."

 

With that, she pulled her head to the side quickly and grasped the handle of her sword with her teeth, drawi- Wait, what?

 

The feeling of her teeth going directly through the handle was felt and interrupted her thoughts before she tried again. And again. And again, with more and more desperation going through her head.

 

The harness was still in place, and the sword was held firmly, but she couldn't touch it. What was.. Was this seriously real?

 

She tried punching the wall to see if the pain would get her awake, but got nothing out of it except a soar hoof and a brief look in her eye of *No...*, that changed over to anger quickly thereafter as she turned to... Whatever his name were.

 

"Then we're gonna force them to remember. I don't care what it takes, but I'm Not going to linger trapped like this for eternity!"

 

She stomped into the floor while she let some steam out. It wasn't helping her to be angry about this, yet at the same time, it Did make her keep focus on things instead of going into despair or panic, so there was that.

 

"Look, sorry for the outburst, alright? But I mean what I said. I'm not going to just accept this. If they can remember in dreams, then we start there, try to figure out how this happened, and then work our way from there on out."

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"You look when the rest stopped, and left your home for her. What is there to forgive?"

 

Omen wasn't used to things like this, and yet she tried to see if she could respond in some way. Using what little she knew and had been told herself to try and... What? Brighten his mood? Help him? She wasn't sure.

 

"If you are willing to give up what you had to find her, do you not care enough to show her that you are sorry she is gone? Should she not try and forgive you then, when you repent? Even if something went wrong, wouldn't she be happy that you found her, instead of angry you once got lost?

 

I don't know the answers, but I will hear them when we find her, though I think she can forgive. You should be able to when it's family."

 

She had no idea if this is what he wanted or needed to hear, but it was what she had. Her idea's on how family stuck together was perhaps not the same he thought, and guilt... She didn't know how that felt, or how to get past that, but perhaps she wasn't meant to either, and it would be up to him and his sister to stop that?

 

They'd see she supposed.

[Denim&Venöm 19,151]

@@Seamore Sandwich,

Progress. She was enduring her own fears to later relish in what brought: Security.  "Suffer now. So that the hive doesn't have to in the future." She focused again. This time, a window opened up, and though it, numerous images flashed by. Images of guards cornering changelings, both disguised and revealed.  Entire droves of changelings chained together and forced to march away. Filed, covered in the bodies of her own kin. Those fields became hills, as the bodies were stacked up. 

 

A repeating of changelings being forced out of their homes, ponies attacking without restraint. Hundreds, thousands of ligns being killed without mercy. Even the distant hives themselves were not safe, as soldiers stormed through the walls and began attacking soldier and civilian alike. Entire families, butchered, until there was no ling left standing. An image of a battered hive structure, before four winged figures rose towards the sun. A flash from their horns, as all of it was set ablaze. 

 

Allure closed her eyes tightly in concentration. The images of death and destruction, began to crumple and darken, as if an invisible flame was burning it away. The ever blackening parts began to twist and lengthen in a helix. "Almost..." she growled out. With a final grunt, the next link in the chain solidified, and joined together with tit's sibling, doubling it's length. 

 

 

The waking world

 

"Dude, it's not going to make a difference whose tail you much on, they're all going to taste the-" Priestess stopped herself. Her ear twitching. "Stay there, all of you." She climbed off the bed, and began sniffing the air. Her fur bristled and she let out a shuddering breath. "Looks like we weren't the only ones who chose to stay for the night." Priestess reached into her tail and began to pull out an assortment of objects. A stack of paper strips, several small jars, a bundle of incense sticks, an inkwell, a bag filled with salt, a stick with a thick batch of paper ribbons on top, and a set of white and red robes. 

 

"Time to get to work." 

 

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

Omen had a point. When everyone else gave up, he didn't. He's in Ponyville now and that has to count for something, right? Still, has was afraid of what could happen should he be reunited with Lin. 

"Thanks, Omen, for the reassurance. That bridge will be crossed in time." The castle was the next destination, between meeting Princess Twilight and finding Discord, there was little else to distract them now. 

[Damonater 70]

@@Frosty Frost,

@@Blitz Boom, 

@@Summer Breeze, 

 

"Oh yeah narr yeah narr mate... she'll be right." Damon stated to frosty to reassure him with his Aussie slang, things will be alright once they get to Summer's house.

 

"The darkness is only one thing. Its the creatures that lurk within them... the unknown... On that bombshell, time to get moving quickly now." He continued to say as he continued to keep up with Summer's pace.

 

Damon scanned quickly around the trees to make sure that there were no creatures waiting to attack them from out of no where. 

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"Okay, if you insist. Although I doubt anypony else would be sleeping this late in the morning," the pony with no name said while opening the door to the room they were in, revealing not the castle hall, but the dream hall instead. In the hall all of the doors were faded, inactive. "If you go through one of these doors, it will bring you to the same place as the pony it belongs to."

 

@@Denim&Venom

 

"You're going to need to keep going if you want the chain to wrap around the door. You're doing really good though, just as good as my first attempt. They really condense education into a short period of time when they teach the newly passed Everspirits," Charlie said honestly. "The first try is always the hardest."

[Denim&Venöm 19,151]

@@Seamore Sandwich, 

Allure was now taking in deep breaths, as she began to focus on the substance that would forge her next link. An image of a young bright eyed filly looked up at Silhouette's of older ponies walking by. She would run up to one, than back to another. She would smile and wave. But none of them would turn to her or even acknowledge her. The filly let pout a sigh, closed her yes, and was enveloped in a blanket of violet flames. 

 

Once the embers died off, a tall, voluptuous mare stood in her place. She offered batted eye lashes and coy grins to those that passed her by, half lidded and bit lips to others. One of the black figures shoved past her, which caught her off guard. She refocused and began trotting next to one, looking like she was going to speak, but the shadow just walked away.  She looked around and saw that no pony was giving her a second glance. 

The mare closed her eyes and let out a shuddering sigh, beofre being engulfed once again in flames. Pastel coat was stripped away to reveal dark grey chitin. A drone stood there, one with a short pale lavender mane & tail, with light purple hued pupiless eyes. The drone wore a defeated look, walking away from the pony shadows, to a different group, one where the silhouettes were those of changelings.  None of them looked at her. She walked up to a taller one. And this one did appear to look down on her, beofre walking away. The drone just sat on her haunches, before laying on her stomach, setting her head down on her hooves, and just closing her eyes. 

 

All the shadows gathered around the changeling. Her world crumpling, beofre stopping. The shadows were swept across one swath of her body, than another, leaving only her face for a moment, beofre that was covered up to, and the entire thing was crumpled and crushed into blackened steel. 

 

Allure looked on, staring at that link of chain, her features strangely blank. 

[Summer Breeze 2,528]

@@Damonater, @@Blitz Boom, @@Frosty Frost,

'we are not lost, i can see my house through the trees' summer said to frosty and damon. the glow of the fireplace was shining warmly through the windows and gave the erea around the house a nice, warm look. summer still loved the sight of her little, two floor cottage with a wild garden and a balcony at the front. the windows at the front where big and when the sun was shining it almost felt like you where sitting outside.

summer opened the door and almost shouted 'i'm home granny' again, but she didn't because then she had to explain it to her new friends and they would think she is a weirdo. 'i'll get you some water' summer said and she grabbed the box with her belongings which still stood next to the door and dragged it to the kitchen. from the livingroom at the front of the house there where two doors, one to the kitchen and one to the staircase. upstairs there where two bedrooms and a bathroom. the rooms where light, basic and cosy, but not to big. just like everything in the house.

summer searched in the box for some cups and put them on the table and sat down. finaly a place to rest for a bit, since she came here so much happended and she got allmost no sleep. but who needed sleep if you had so much to do?