open Casual stroll

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

 

 

@Blitz Boom @Mentis Soliloquy

 

"Well that's where we get down to business. You see these Ananansi alleged that the party and I unleashed an evil entity upon the land. While I cannot verify that, I can verify that this castle is haunted, and might have detected it last night. So, gentlespiders, care to elaborate?" 

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Lonk Chase

@@GingerLightning

@@Blitz Boom

 

The loud hoofsteps stopped, but the one that was making them were nowhere to be seen. Instead, he laughed in a low booming voice, a deep voice that had a slight echo to it. By his voice alone, it should be clear that he wasn't a small creature. "Such energy you have, young Lonk." The Unknown entity definitely sounded amused. Sisilia's eyes darted around as she tried to figure out where the voice was coming from.

[Summer Breeze 2,528]

@@Blitz Boom,

@@Frosty Frost,

 

 

"You should listen to the icy one. The stream might do weird things to your kind."

when summer heard some one say that she shouldn't touch the water, her first reaction was to apologise 'sorry' she said and pulled her hoof from the water, inspeciting it to see if anything happened but it didn't look like so, then she looked around to see who she just apologised to but there was nothing strange to be seen, except from the rainbow water.

 

"Good to hear, small creature. But what of those others? Are you here to harm the valley? To harvest the fallen Adatzne Bow?"

'ofcourse we are not going to harm the valley, we don't even know where we are or how we went here. and besides, it's much to pritty to harm' summer said to the voice, still looking around. 'where are you actually' she asked eventually because she couldn't find the owner of the voice 'and talking about places, where are we?'

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Blitz Boom

@Summer Breeze

 

Frosty jumped in surprise when there was suddenly a voice talking to them. It made him drop the sphere of rainbow water he was levitating on himself, splashing water all over him.

 

"Uhah! Who's that?!"

 

Frosty shook the water out of his manes, looking a pretty annoyed. He didn't like being messed with like this. First the random teleportation from nowhere, and then a disembodied voice spooking him into dropping water on himself! This day was just getting weirder and weirder. And then the voice asks if they were here to harm the valley?! This was getting ridiculous.

 

"Ok, look here, misses...something," -Frosty sighed and put his hoof in his face- "we just got teleported here without any reason, and we don't know anything that's going on. We're not here to harm anything, or to harvest the Ada-what'sit'sname. We just want to get back to where we came from. So if you could help us with that we'd be very grateful." 

 

When Frosty thought about what the mysterious voice had actually said, he realized that he had accidentally got a good shower of water that "might do weird things to your kind". He wasn't sure if it was going to make weird things happen, because Summer had got a hoof-full too without any bad effects, right? He was just going to look out for any weird symptoms. Everything would be fine then.

[Blitz Boom 4,636]

@@Jellal Fernandes,

 

"Bill collector? Dude, I'm 12."

 

That it wasn't her dad who opened the door was disappointing, and she would have focused on that if it wasn't because it was followed with the bizarre notion that she might be a bill collector. A mailmare, perhaps, as some of the ones delivering local mail back in Canterlot were pretty young in it and just did it to earn a bit here and there when the usual mailmare's were sick or busy with deliveries needing to be further away. Yet a bill collector? That one was just silly.

 

That aside, she cleared her throat and peered around him, trying to see if there were anypony behind her or any trace of her daddy. Might just be some confused assistant that had some issues preparing things before he'd show after all.

 

"Anyway. Hello there sir. I'm Jelly Drop, is Stargazer here?"

 

Back home she just asked for her daddy, but he couldn't have been here more than a few days tops and he usually didn't hang around that many when he had a job to do, so that wouldn't help she thought. Sure, he were hard to miss when you first saw him, but they didn't look so alike that it were easy to see a family resemblance and he wasn't expecting her according to what mommy had said, so she'd have to try one thing at a time. First off the name, then afterwards... Well, depended on what this strange pony said. He seemed a little confused so might be he'd just end up babbling and she would end having to ask a neighbour.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Lonk Chase,

@@GingerLightning,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

Whilst Ginger went to pat Lonk on the shoulder, Meeko instead went to the side of him whilst still keeping around and barked out the door at whatever were there, saying in timber-tongue to *Stay away from Alpha*, and trying to puff himself up a little. Which didn't help when you looked like a decently sized kitten could make you weep from a single punch.

 

Still, he'd try, just like they did in the flock he were part of before meeting this one. There, the Alpha were backed up by the others if she were threatening something or some unwanted being got too close to their territory.

 

Meeko had seen other flocks trying to get the power over theirs in his short life, and had been witness to males who thought they could wrist the Alpha spot from their current one, but she had so far crushed any competitor, and often taken wolves from retreating flocks into her own as prizes. She were vicious, big and ruthless enough to know how to keep her position, but he didn't like that Alpha. She were mean, and got the pups of her litter to chase him around just because she didn't like him. Bad mother.

 

The other timberwolf in here were like her, just more direct, which is also why he were confused as to who were Alpha in here. A male might be normal after all, but the other one acted like an Alpha, so it could have been. Might still be, if what were outside were too big for Lonk. They'd need a new Alpha then.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

Great, now there were the whole family here. If they decided to throw caution to the wind after all and take their chances with the Beast Court's assassins, the odds were seriously not getting in their favour from this. Even if it did sound like they had gone mad. What would one of the pony's pitiful little princess do here after all? And with one of the mistresses of the sea no less?

 

But, there was no point in dwelling on that as he were asked a question he was obliged to answer from this... Mixed family.

 

"I have not been given the details, but we know the evil to be a devourer of lives, removing those it feasts on from history ans growing stronger and larger with ever being who enters its maw. It were trapped in a large crystal on a specially bred guardian and set in a labyrinth when the word have it the Traveller stole it. The next I hear of it was when we were gathered to go hunt those who broke the crystal and let the beast out, who were marked when the seals broke.

 

The extend of what the beast is and what we were to do to it is not known to me however, that information would be given only to the squad leader, who I assume still awaits with three of the other marked ones in the forest, if your forces are still holding them there."

 

The last were directed to the older of the two who had stopped them earlier, Summer. Considering everything, he couldn't imagine that she had taken her forces with her when a part of the words said before he had been sent revolved around severe harm coming to any being still there in case their high priestess were dead, and taking away the guards when there were still uncertainty about that were foolish. More foolish than even Subterrena were rumoured to be at times.

 

"I would like to ask you something though, high priestess. You mention a plant pony and a talkative feline? Were the cat about this big, with a staff of some kind?"

 

As he returned his eyes to her and used his arms to show the size whilst scratching in the ground with his right front leg a sketch of the one in question he had seen before taking off.

 

"And the plant, about the size of a regular of the ponykin, green and purple with a cape, closed eyes and vines hidden on his back?"

 

His left front leg scratched a sketch of the plant he had seen almost crush Ashta to mush as the same time. It were not a good self-taught skill by some amongst their people, but Ko had thought further than the usual *find and kill* approach and anticipated perhaps needing some of the lesser races to point them in the right directions at times. Since they didn't carry pictures of their targets around and sometimes didn't even know who it were before they stood ready to carve into them - such as marked ones like now - being able to do this had its limited usage at times. It tended to be very limited, but it was better to be prepared.

 

The part about him being able to do two at the same time though, that were showing off. Less needed unless they were in a serious hurry, but if you were willing to learn how to sketch faces like this you might as well be able to do it not just right, but exceptionally well. It were also why his homemade poisons tended to be stronger than some others, though the judge were still out on that one.

 

"Two of those we had prepared to end when your acquaintance... Interrupted us, are like this, held down a little way from here. What are their relation to you? Friendly? Or are they of no concern?

 

You can see them yourself in person too if you wish to learn more of our task from Ashta anyway, and judge then, but if you prefer to stay here we will need to know if their lives are unimportant in the eyes of Subterrena before another misstep is made, along with the pony with the cart and the one we have yet to find, but you call *Shinigami*."

 

He really hoped that it wasn't to such a degree that those who had been around the high priestess were also secure, as returning to the Beast Court with no blood spilled would likely not please some of their members, but when the alternative were war... Even though friends were not covered by diplomatic immunity, acting against them could still be seen as testing the borders of peace, and as such the case would have to be brought back for the court to decide before they could make attempts on their lives again.

 

*sigh* Nothing but problem after problem with this mission...

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

 

The sight of the sharp teeth didn't seem to make the little rodent take away, as to her she still only looked at a pony with sharp teeth. However, that did not mean the little one did not react, and showed that Serenade was correct in what she said about nature sometimes concealing something worse.

 

The little thing spread her ears wide, making her seem bigger, and then opened her mouth wide enough to fit comfortably around a bowling ball to reveal three rows of razor-sharp teeth, leading into the dark, gaping maw that were accompanied by a haunting sound from the mixed noise of air flowing through the small gills you could see now (they would be hidden on the neck normally) and a high pitching hissing, along with the smell of fish.

 

The small display didn't last more than a few seconds at full threatening level, at which point the curious creature closed down it's mouth and ears again to return to it's cute looks, though it did raise one of it's paws to it's mouth and laughed a little through the webbed fingers, like it thought this were a game.

 

"Creepy, right? I found it in the lake when I was looking for fish, just swimming around and thought it looked funny. Then It opened it's mouth and chomped down a large fish like it were nothing. I didn't want to take it with me after that, but the rascal thought it was funny to follow me around and pelt me with small rocks and acorns after that until I caught in it a satchel."

 

Ziggy pointed at the deceptively cute little thing, not knowing what would happen now. Sure, it had the point for now, but what if Serenade took of her disguise? A Siren was a pretty big step up from... Whatever this strange creature were.

 

She really should have focused more in her biology classes. Perhaps then she'd have an idea about it. Not the Siren interaction of course, but the small creature itself. Surely there were a picture somewhere she could have gone by... But then again, perhaps that would ruin the fun from seeing what would happen if it were faced with something higher up the food chain that it, which after the ways it had been after her, she wouldn't want to miss.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Summer Breeze,

@@Frosty Frost,

 

"Oh? You don't know where this is? Could it be... You are from the outside?"

 

"Yeah, we're from Equestria."

 

Another pearly, earthy laughter were heard at the words.

 

"Ohoho, what a delight. I had thought you with the Atazi in the hills down to harvest more wood, but they do not speak of a place like the one you mention. They call their home Athriel."

 

One of the nearby trees creaked slightly and drew the attention of Blitz and perhaps some of the others. If they looked, they would see the leafy tree suddenly grow a pair of eyes and change shape in front of their very eyes until a humanoid female would stand in front of them.

 

(Art by Artemis Kolakis. I would link to her site, but it seems to be disconnected since the making of this in 2008. I found the name and the picture via Google.)

 

"Hello outsiders. I am Lyriel, Daughter of the Silver Valley. And who may you be?"

 

"...Vaaaauw..."

 

Blitz didn't seem able to answer as she looked at the Dryad in front of them with a dropping jaw and eyes full of a mixture of confusion and awe. Something that didn't seem to faze the woman in front of them as she finished her transformation and took a step forward on bare feet, bending down and gently touching Blitz on the head.

 

"Hello there Vaaaauw."

 

She then turned to the others, looked down on Frosty and giggled slightly as her warm eyes focused on something on his head.

 

"Ahahaha, it seems the essence of Adatzne is not without its effect for your kind after all."

 

On his head, three of the hairs of his mane had turned into sprouting yellow flowers from about halfway and above. It were anypony's guess what would have happened if the water had not just hit him, but been drunk. Yet if the naturalising effect from this were to suggest anything, it might be that it would begin to have a more deep-rooted effect, pun intended.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Blitz Boom

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"I suppose it is true, yes. That of which we do not have is something that we may or may not yearn for without knowing the consequences it brings. There is something worth noting about those who sleep, however."

What knowledge Senlin knew was that of an interesting aspect of dreams that only very few are able to know about. Back then they alone who possess such an ability could talk about it within the company of others of their own kind. It was an ancient knowledge that has since then made its way to public space.

"Some who sleep have an ability to see into their dreams and beyond it. They say these dreamers are able to see into the future, albeit briefly. They wake in the morning with only snippets of their dreams able to predict what events will transpire. The only thing these dreamers are unsure of is when the events they saw will happen. I sometimes wonder if I would have already found Lin if I had that ability."

[Kira Dogeikage 230]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

With a sigh of relief, Alexander replied "The name is Alexander Thaddeus Tinker, though my friends call me Xander," he paused. "Well, they would if I had any," he added casually, as if there wasn't anything weird about not having friends. "As for this 'Stargazer' fellow, I'm afraid I've never heard of him, though I don't know many people around town." 

[MDLineArt 93]

@@Blitz Boom

 

It was exquisite, even if it was of broken spirits.  Why had he held back so long? In the halls he trotted forward, feeling the cold stone under his hoofs, hear the dripping of moisture from the roof to the rock below, that taste of mold in the air, and the band of prisoners now tasting freedom.  That rush was adrenaline, was filling him like fuel, their emotions felt like a torrent compared to the tiny amount he allowed himself for months now.  It's always been for feeding his sisters and brothers, but now, now it was all his. 

 

Peering into the dark, there was something else.  At first he thought Giddon got ahead of him somehow, but the figure was leaner, and it's walk was all different.  Another Griffon? 

 

Inside his own head, Scissor Biter tried to regain himself.  It's a struggle to find yourself in your own heart when it is filled with the chattering of billions of family.  Something no pony really understands, for Scissor Biter, for Bashful Thread, you can be anyone, but you are a part of something bigger, a family, a swarm, trying to maintain an idea of 'Self' becomes all to difficult.  Scissor Biter may be a coward, but his family made him stronger, tapping into that instinct, that hive mind.  Every time he went into it though, he lost his reason, the ability to ask questions, independent thought.  Instead, he had to dig to 'come back'.  Right now, he may look like a large Pegasus, but inside he was a drone, an extension of a larger consciousness, operating on parameters, and without hesitation throwing himself at whatever objective was given.

 

Scissor Biter moved as instinct dictated, rushing forward to intercept this" griffon cultist".  There was however, that tiny voice, that pleading to stop, to get the prisoners and himself out of here, trying to push through the scraping and the skittering and the sound of wings.  That beautiful voice that calmed him during storms, Mother, in his heart, but her hold was not finished.  Inside himself he pleaded with the voice that wouldn't let him go, but he was so small.

 

Even if he shown himself to be a powerful pony, he was just so small on the inside.

[Moonlit 593]

@@Blitz Boom, Serenade smirks, "Really? A territorial display" The Siren/Pegasi sits down on her haunches, and puts her head down low  "Well, I must say I am impressed that such a small..." she licks her lips, "lean"  Serenades eyes take on a almost feral gleam, "little morsel attempted a territorial display here." Serenade leans in close to the creature, "Like I said earlier, natural has learned to" another lick of her lips, "conceal true natures." 

 

Serenade stands up and walks over to Ziggy, her back to the creature, "On an unrelated topic, I have a question for you. When you came in earlier, you drifted off. Do you remember anything?"

[Quinch 1,120]

@Seamore Sandwich, @Quinch, @SugarfootWillie, @Blitz Boom [Ponyville]

 

Quinch groaned at Zhu.

 

"Okay, so if I understand correctly...."

 

He held up a hand and started ticking off his fingers.

 

"You're from the past, there's a prophecy or prediction about this exact thing but since you interfered, the prophecy is going off the rails so now you're not sure what's going to happen or what needs to happen in order to fix it."

 

He tilted his head at chanting Zhu.

 

"Was that so hard?"

[Summer Breeze 2,528]

@@Blitz Boom,@@Frosty Frost,

 

summer saw something changing from the corner of her eye, she turned her head towards it and saw a tree transforming into... something. she looked a bit like damon 'excuse me, miss... laryel, are you a human? is this where humans come from? or damons?? do you know damon? we kinda lost him' and she smiled at the tree human. 

 

then she saw something else from the corner of her other eye, it where some unusual collors in frostys manes. she looked at him and saw that there where flowers in his mane. summer shasped and her eyes shimmered 'frosty, your manes are flowers!!!!' she said with an exited voice 'I think that's what the water did' then she looked at the water, it might not be a good idea to drink it but summer wanted flower manes too. she took some steps towards the water and stared at her reflection, imagining herself with flower manes. 

[Officer Strike 152]

Strike waited for the pony to trot away and waited for him to be out of sight. Then she put her hoof to her head and sighed. A horrible headache was growing in her head. She bit her lip. Standing in the camp, in the same place for quite a while.

 

Then suddenly, she began thinking. She needed to predict where the thief would strike next. But how could she do that? They knew who the pony was now. One of the guards had told Strike that this was an existing criminal, and had criminal records before the crimes that he had started carrying out in Pony Ville.

 

"Time to get cracking." she said to herself.

 

@Blitz Boom

Strike stayed in the camp. The superior officers had gone back to the scene and had found more evidence. Strike had been trotting around the camp for some time when she had been unlucky and set on an assignment to guard the entrance. Strike knew she had a lot to do. Helping to catch the crook, and now a new assignment!

 

"They found out that he lives in Pony Ville. That means we should knock on every house. Try to find him. But what good would that do? Indeed we can find the right ponies DNA, but that process would waste time." she thought.

 

Her speedy mind was recalculating all the events that had happened. But she couldn't piece them together.

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Melke

@@Blitz Boom

@@Mentis Soliloquy

@@Denim&Venom

 

Before long, all of the seeds in the bag were planted. But nothing happened... Were they missing something? Was there something they were forgetting about? Seamore had covered over each one properly... Then he realized, both Brittle and Syo still had their seeds. "Hey Syo, Brittle, you two can plant your seeds now."

 

 

@@Blitz Boom

@@SugarfootWillie

@@Quinch

 

Penny slumped to the ground, barely holding herself up with her front legs. She seemed to be physically weakened by her emotions, tears were pouring down her face. An expensive Canterlot education and what good did it do her? Another pony were dead, Ponyville was in danger, and she still could not figure out a spell that would let her see the threat. Were the hardships her family had endured to pay for her schooling for nothing?

 

Meanwhile, Miles traveled quickly to Ponyville. The plan was already set in motion, though it had to be modified slightly. Normally he would be fascinated at the magic involved in separating himself from his body, but right now he just did not have the time.

[Melke 160]

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

@@Blitz Boom,  

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Denim&Venom,  

 

Syo couldn't help but feel like something was strange when the doctor collapsed. She stood there holding the seed for a while then Seamore snapped her out of her thoughts.

 

"Ah! Oh, right!" Syo said as she hurried planted it... in the wrong direction.

 

Melke, who was still hiding out, feel something triggering with the forest's own defensive measures.

 

"Syo, move!" Melke warned Syo through their personal link and then she quickly blinked away out of reflex.

[Blitz Boom 4,636]

@@MDLineArt,

 

"W-Wait, please don't-"

 

She had to stop talking to throw herself to the side in the small hallway, which made her hit the wall not too far off and likely wouldn't save her from being intercepted, but she was just concerned about not being in the direct line of the large pony right now.

 

Florence had never been allowed to really learn how to fight by her parents, who wanted her to not turn out as her uncle did in fear of her safety. Something she despised at the time, but considering how that had ended... She could understand them, even if she really felt that biting her in the rear right now.

 

Sure, uncle had been adamant in learning her Something, but that were small scale protection moves only, and wouldn't work when she were in shambles and her opponent a mindless cultist. Hadn't the last time at least, and she were in a worse state now than then.

 

She were so focused on this pony that were likely going to get a hoof on her within seconds that she didn't even take notice of the cultists chanting until half a dozen doors on both sides of the non-controlled group - that being the prisoners, Bashful and Florence - opened wide and they marched out to surround them, to the chanting, echoing tone through the group going "No escape from his watchful eye" in tandem.

 

It would appear that thing were about to go from bad to worse for everypony involved.

 

__________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"Wouldn't you have to be sleeping all the time then, looking for more clues? It might show you where to go, but she would still be getting far away.

 

Then again... Direction helps, even if it takes time. Perhaps having the power of a mystic would be better, like you said."

 

Omen stood silent after saying that, trying to think of what would be the truth, since both sounded somewhat right to her.

 

Yet, it wasn't her opinion on this that mattered as much as what Senlin might think, and what that were she wasn't sure about. He were a complex creature to understand at times for her, and the things he knew changed what way he looked at it compared to her, even if she made him think on the same things she did.

 

Then again, she might just be over-thinking this again, wondering about random things and trying too hard to find meaning in it.

 

__________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

 

The rodent didn't take her eyes off Serenade as she got closer, but there were something in the pony's glare that made her take a few steps backwards just in case.

 

It was somewhat of a predatory instinct that told her that Serenade might be an issue, though common sense had its part too when she thought about how the pony didn't even seem fazed from her showing off.

 

Usually they acted like the pink one had, and got a right big scare, which she found funny. This on the other paw... Strange. Not strange enough to run away from yet, but enough so that she flew up on a higher place to try and get some perspective and distance.

 

"Well, I remember seeing you sleeping, and then I heard you hum some tune that sounded really good, so I listened in a little closer... Then nothing really. Guess I fell asleep or something?"

 

Ziggy still wasn't familiar with how these mind control things went, so for all she knew, she had literally just gotten a small, involuntary nap from being more tired than she let on.

 

__________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Melke,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

Brittle were speechless by all the horrible things happening around her, but as Seamore mentioned her name and the seed she tried to muster a little bravery and see if she couldn't get moving a tiny bit for this.

 

She were shaking, and the panic in her eyes from still being near the horrible, yet now silent beings amongst them - even after the older one seemed to have vanished - were visible. Eventually though, she managed to get close to Seamore and held out the seed to him... Then promptly dropped it and ran back to cower at Vriar as Ashta, for no other reason than boredom, cracked the knuckles on his right hand. Considering the response he got, he wasn't As bored anymore after that.

 

_________________________________________

 

 

@@Jellal Fernandes,

 

"Are you sure you haven't seen him at least? He's pretty easy to spot."

 

"He's a Night Guard bat pony. Really big, with a black coat, beard, only wears the helmet and has a whole belt of medals."

 

She started to sound worried there at the end, concerned that Xander wouldn't at least have seen her dad, which would leave her with no idea where to look.

 

"Please say you've seen him sir. Somepony said he lived here, but if he doesn't and you haven't seen him... I just wanna find my daddy."

 

The confidence she had when she went off the train started to crack a little at the thought that she would have to look all over town for him, and perhaps not find him for a long time. Not a funny thought at all for her, especially after being so excited to see him.

 

_________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Quinch,

@@SugarfootWillie,

 

"We are all from the past, starring into the abyss we call the future and hopeing for a glimpse of what is to be.

 

Those who can see little, sets their slivers of future events in predictions and thinking everything is set in stone to guarantee that small moment is to pass, whilt those of us with open eyes know it is not as simple as that. That the future is never set, and prophecies hold little truth beyond speculation.

 

Still, you are correct that this day have been set as the one where this ends, and things have potentially changed for the worse. I cannot be sure, as those that have been taken are no longer threading on paths that I can see. Yet when I look upon you and her, I see that paths are still there that will lead this to a success, though exactly what it will take is still somewhat shrouded, beyond buying the others more time. And to get more time, I need to be closer to this than I had wanted to be."

 

It were the truth in its own way, but it basically said nothing except for what Quinch had mentioned, along with a small snippet on what were and were not possible whilst watching the future from his perspective. Something that might be interesting in another situation, but not when they were in the middle of a battle.

 

Whatever he knew, he seemed to not want to share more of it until this were done, and instead returned to his low chanting. He gave a glance towards Penny, looking over if he thought he needed to speak with her, but decided against it. The most obvious path from where he would speak with her did not seem like it would go well, even if he could thread down the right branch there.

 

Vommon sense dictated it too. He could hardly say something comforting to her when he knew not what were wrong, and his neutral ways of asking others to calm themselves tended not to fall on good ears.

 

So instead he kept to his chants and starred at the point where the mare of demons had been before, and where she currently, unbeknownst to him, were running low on time she had before she would be forceably expelled from her host. Though she did what she could, there was a limit when she fought control with something powerful like this, even with some help from Charlie.

 

Hopefully the others would be there soon.

 

_________________________________________

 

 

@@Officer Strike,

 

"Well, do you have a visual, some blood or a name to go with?"

 

The enthusiastic voice that lingered on the word *blood* more than the rest wouldn't be hard to identify for anypony that had been amongst the Solar Guards for even a little, and if Strike would turn around she would rightly so be faced with Needle Prick.

 

Needle was a runt sort of Unicorn, as she were in her mid twenties and still weren't bigger than a regular teenage pony at about 17. She had a strawberry-blond mane and tail in a ruffled sort of style with a base white coat and pink eyes. She didn't wear armor, as she had yet to become a full on member of the guards, but she did have her trainee leather armor under her lab coat.

 

Needle had once upon a time wanted to be a doctor after finding her talent in bloodworks like identifying type and so on, but dropped out of the medical studies when it turned out she wasn't cut for keeping track of many of the other things required to get a full doctorate.

 

She did however, find a spot when it was mentioned that the Solar Guards had been for a few members for something they called a *forensics team*. A strange term that apparently meant that they wanted to try some of the experimental ways of catching crooks, though it were still on a trial basis.

 

Which were why she were here in Ponyville these days, the lone member here of said team that hadn't given up when faced with the guards initiation yet, whilst others that had formerly been here had returned to Canterlot and tried to set a base there for this sort of thing.

 

It wasn't easy to being alone with this sort of experimental law-enforcement And having to try and get past the Solar Guards training to become fully initiated into the law - she couldn't technically make arrests now for example - but it were a fun challenge, and since DNA were the most prominent part of the job right now, her blood speciality came very hoofy.

 

Or it would, if there usually wasn't anything criminal happening in this town that wasn't so obvious that it needed little more than a pair of cuffs. And she were bored out of her mind with test samples sometimes.

 

But today might be different. Or it sounded like it could be at least, if the words she heard when Officer Strike talked to herself were any indication.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Blitz Boom

[Kira Dogeikage 230]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

"Look, I'm uhhh... I'm really sorry that I don't know where you're father is. I'm not much one for getting out, see. Only on business such as shopping for food or baubles, the occasional expedition through the Everfree and other surrounding forests, or when fixing things for other ponies, nothing social. I'm sorry to say that I've never run into a bat pony on any of these, truly I am," Xander said to Jelly Drop. "I'll gladly help you in someway if you'd like."

Edited April 3, 2016 by Jellal Fernandes

[Moonlit 593]

@@Blitz Boom, Ignoring the rodent, or at least appearing too, Serenade gets up and circles Ziggy, "You didn't fall asleep Ziggy, it's....complicated." She stops next to Ziggy, and bows her head, "It means....well, it means your still...susceptible to Siren songs." She shuffles her wings, "The upside is.." She tries to smile, but it's obviously a fake one. "Actually there is no upside." She sits down next to Ziggy and buries her face in her forelegs, "It means if I sing around you, you basically will do whatever I tell you to do and I feed off your negativity and hate, which will make me a stronger Siren, which means I can sing louder and longer and that will get the Princess' involved, not just Princess Luna but Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight and their Royal Guards and I'll lose my job and" She starts shaking, and her voice changes in tone,

 

 "I do not want to be that...that MONSTER, I am not like the Sirens of old, obsessed with power over ponies."

Edited April 3, 2016 by Moonlit

[MDLineArt 93]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"NO! NO NO NO!!  STOP IT!  STOP IT!" That voice in among the buzzing of thousands screamed inside Bashful's head, his own voice in among the hundred thousand minds of the hive, yet no matter how much he pleaded, his body just kept going towards this target it had acquired.  Chasing down the smaller griffon, he could feel his hoofs grab hold of her by the collar and pinned her to the wall.  Hissing and leering at her tiny form, Bashful could only watch in horror at what he was about to do.  Clambering over all those thousand ideas that all droned on, he couldn't stop his hoof raised, and coming down swiftly at her head.

 

The crash was loud, and reverberated throughout the hall, as his hoof hit the wall beside her, shaking.  It wasn't him regaining control, there was just a new thing that had caught his attention.  Another chanting, one in the room.  His eyes fell to those cultists speaking in unison, but their words were miles away from Bashful Thread.  Instead, all that he could hear was 'Threat, Threat, Threat.'  That hissing turned to the cultists, dropping the Griffon and pointing down the hall.

 

"Go!"  That cold alien voice left Bashful's lips as he raged inside his own mind.  The parameters were set, and he called for the help of his brothers and sisters... Now he was locked in course, and he couldn't put that djinn back in the lamp.  All he could do was live it.

 

The prisoner's started to lurch past him, many of them as terrified as Bashful was inside.  Many of them slipped past the changeling and griffon, though a few with what little strength they had pleaded with the griffon to come with them, the others pleaded with the changeling to leave, unknowing what he truly was. 

 

"My Darling Dear... What are you fighting about?"

 

Time suddenly sat still, everything went grey and it felt like he was home...  The presence of his mother filled his heart, and he could not deny that calm that came.  Even here, in his moment of need, Mother was there.

 

"Mother!  I'm so scared! I- I tried to be brave, but I couldn't!  I can't do this alone.  I am all alone here."

 

"You came here because you let your guard down.  You got caught, didn't you Scissor Biter?  Do you really think that Griffon is going to keep to his word?  Of course not!  He's using you, and will throw you to the guards or worse when he is done with you."

 

"But mother, these ponies need my help!  I need -"

 

"What you need is to stop being naive.  My little fool, did you ever stop to consider what would happen if you were discovered?  Months of work from everyone is in jeopardy because of you!  They can never know!  Do you know what you are doing here?!"  The disappointment in mother's tone was enough to shatter Bashful's heart to a million pieces.  He could only sink deeper, become smaller, trying not to be noticed in some hopes that his mother's ire would stop.

 

"I... I don't know Mother!  I am trying to make it work, I am trying to do what you taught me, but it's so hard to stay.  I am so hungry all the time, and I try to bring what I can to the swarm, I know I am not the only one going hungry..."  Bashful could only feel shame in his actions.  The threat of cultists tearing him was the furthest thing from his mind now.

 

The he could feel it, even if it was only in his mind, her touch under his chin to raise his eyes up.  "Mother is here now, Scissor Biter...  This is a lesson you need to learn.  All betray, all manipulate, all are looking for weakness.  You are a part of my brood, you should know this better than any 'pony'.  You must be smart, and you can not let anyone so close.  It leads to you and the swarm going hungry.  I know I have let you slip too far, do your own plots, and look where it got us!  You must think me a terrible mother."  The words were enough to stab at him, guilt binding him in knots.

 

"No!  No Mother!  You are wonderful!  You always been there!  You are always there!  Please, don't leave me!  I want to be better, I want to do my part!  I am just so far in, I don't know what to do!"  It was enough to reduce Bashful to tears if he could cry, though in reality outside his mind his body was poised to do one thing:  Fight.

 

Then there was that laugh, that beautiful, chilling laugh from Queen Chrysalis.  "Then learn.  I am coming for you even now.  You are a part of me, and we are all a part of you!  Learn from this Scissor Biter, and never forget..."

 

Time sped up, and suddenly Bashful Thread found he was in control.  He was left in front of a lot of angry cultists. They were murmuring something about a Watchful Eye, or some nonsense.  He tried to muster what courage he could, as he charged forward.

 

"I am never alone."

[cwhip9 1,078]

@@Blitz Boom, As cresent seemed to be trotting along with the spirit and last it was if his footing made him slip through the floor/ground they were standing on for an unknown reason. Soon up was down, blue was bright blue, the purple, then a headache soon sleep followed.........he woke up on a stable surface, at least he hoped it was. He opened his eyes whishing to be back in the library where this all began.......... (decided against the color change idea.....for now...what/who dose he see?)

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Summer Breeze
@Blitz Boom
 
Frosty suddenly noticed a tree turning into...something, that looked a bit like Damon, except...more tree-ish? Frosty getting even more confused than he already was. He started to grin. This day has been weird enough already, might as well just roll with it, he thought.
 
"So..Um.. Hi? I guess you are a ...Homan, but a Tree-Homan...?"
 
Frosty didn't think that there would be such a thing as Tree-Homans, but nothing would surprise him anymore. Probably.
 

"Ahahaha, it seems the essence of Adatzne is not without its effect for your kind after all."

When Frosty heard that, he quickly conjured up a mirror, looking in it to see what happened. When he saw that there were three flowers growing on his head, he couldn't help but snigger at the ridiculousness of it all. Water that makes flowers grow on things? What is this place, Magic-land? 

 

He saw that Summer looked at him with shimmering eyes, looking at the flowers on his mane.

 

"Hey, would you like some flowers too? Here, lemme help you with that."

 

He levitated a small sphere of water out of the river, and split it up into a few smaller ones which he distributed over Summer's manes.

Frosty smiled.

 

"There, that should do the trick."

 

Frosty turned back to...Lyriel, was it?

 

"All silliness aside, we really need to get back to our homes, and this doesn't seem like anywhere even near Equestria. This might even be on a completely different plane of existence, if we're unlucky." 

 

Frosty sighed.

 

"Dimensional travel is always a hassle. Never works out like you want it to."

 

Lyriel didn't seem to know of Equestria, so she wouldn't have the answer to get back. Finding somepon- I mean, someone that could bring them back was not going to be easy.

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom,

Senlin chuckled at the thought though he meant no disrespect by it. The thoughts are more welcome and he would gladly humor it and allow the thought to fester in his mind, allowing himself to think about it and tell himself how right or wrong he is. He would welcome the opportunity to be proven wrong.

"You could put it that way, yes. I could be sleeping all the time but then there wouldn't be a waking moment where I could act upon what I see in dreams. I didn't mean to come across as someone who would rather sleep off the days to find answers I would be satisfied with but wouldn't be able to do anything with them." Senlin sighed, gathering his thoughts together.

 

"If sleep was made for something, it's likely for regulation. Something that makes sure those who need it could go on without burning themselves out. The body that isn't able to sustain itself indefinitely would need something to help it realize that it needs rest and sleep is what restores it. I hold the dreamers in respectable positions considering what they go through given the uncertainty of what dreams may hold. They are still bound by the nature of dreams; they may see blissful horizons or nightmarish wastelands and they keep their wits about themselves. I was told it takes great concentration from the dreamer to separate dream from reality. I guess that is what makes me reconsider what I said about being a dreamer." 

[GingerLightning 258]

@@Blitz Boom, @@Seamore Sandwich,

"Hey! you mystery pony!Show yourself!"Ginger Lightning growled her eyes having a blueish glow in them...Like changeling eyes...She was distracted by the big echoing voice and felt threatened by it...And something in Ginger Lightning's tone seemed to say 'Come On At Me Bro! I'm Half Changeling! yo!'

Edited April 6, 2016 by GingerLightning

[Blitz Boom 4,636]

@@Moonlit,

 

Before she can be stopped, Ziggy is over at Serenade, hugging the Siren closely.

 

"Hey, it's okay. It was just an accident after all, y'know? Besides, my own fault for sticking around and listening to it instead of thinking over things and plugging my ears,"

 

She hated seeing others sad, and especially when it were her friends. Not just those she Called friends - cause she called everypony that - but also those she really did consider real friends. Wait, that didn't sound right... *Especially* those who were her real friends? Yeah, that sounded more like it.

 

"Just promise me one thing, okay? If you do accidentally hypnotise me again, try to have some fun with it. You'd me amazed how funny others find it when you make somepony cluck like chickens or something like it. Less bad feelings to feed off, no?"

 

She would admit, she didn't get the entire picture of how emotion-eaters worked, but if Serenade said she ate negativity and hatred, then what if there wasn't that anywhere? Just a bit of random fun, and it wasn't like Ziggy would hold it against her, nor be a big battery for negative feelings to seep from. The closest she usually came to that were rare, and even with the rodent before gnawing on her head it was still just a bit of fun rather than anger. She had seen in its mouth, she knew that if it wasn't just playing with her it could take a huge chunk from her, but it had fun *tormenting* her, so she played along.

 

What were she thinking about again? ...Right, emotion eaters hard to understand and all that... Eh, she were sure she covered most of it one way or another, and if not, she could always just say what she meant about it if she were presented with more potential danger talk. Stuff like that hadn't stopped her from being friendly with other beings before, and it wouldn't now either. Whatever she'd find of words in her head the next time she were given a warning speech should reflect that in some way.

 

Besides, her friend here needed to know others didn't believe she were a monster right now, not for Ziggy to think on what she might need to say. The thought may count after all, but thoughts wasn't comfort, and she were sure that was what Serenade needed the most right now.

 

If not... Well, this was going to become mighty awkward, huh?

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Summer Breeze,

@@Frosty Frost,

 

Lyriel giggled more from seeing the little creatures playing along with the growing water and speaking of things she could hardly say she had heard before. Not just Equestria, but the notion of something they called *dimensional travel*, and thinking of her as something called a *Human*. That last one were interesting really, as she had never heard of other creatures that looked like her that were seemingly not some kind of foliage.

 

Her line of thoughts stopped when she saw the flowers now growing int he mane of Summer too and bent down, picking the largest from her head and stood back up. Something that might sting Summer a bit, but as she showed them the flower not just taking over part of the hair, but also go further down and then begin to grow small roots in the middle of the air until it stopped, you could see that she had done so for a reason.

 

"I'm sorry little one, but the essence of Adatzne can sometimes grow far, and you are not morsel for this to grow on."

 

With that she bent down again, this time to plant the little flower and gently spread earth over it's root whilst a soothing green glow spread on her hands and seemed to breathe stable life into the plant.

 

"Uhm... What would happen if you drank it then?"

 

Lyriel looked at the trees around her with a sadness going over her eyes as the question was asked, thinking on times when she had asked that herself and found out time and time again since.

 

"...Perhaps I can answer that later. For now though, how about we head for the nearest gate in the mountains and seek passage to the outside, and perhaps you can tell me a little of yourselves and where you are from on the way? I rarely meet others, and certainly not outsiders, and you speak of many things that brings me wonder. This place you call Equestria, these *dimensions* and *planes* that you mentioned icy one, and more then anything, what a Human or Damon is? Is that your words for Dryads? Are they your guardians in the kingdom you hold dear?"

 

With a wave of her hand she pointed towards one of the sides of the mountains and the thick forest in front of them opened somewhat and gave them a way to wander, whilst her curiosity began to shine more and more through, as well as a few answers to things. Mainly that no, she were not a Human, she had no idea what they, or the ponies, even were, and her own kind were called Dryads. Perhaps a word that would hold meaning to some of them if they knew stories from outside Equestria of the elusive guardians of certain usually-pristine forest areas, though the stories wasn't rampant as much as the myths about them. Being able to change into trees made them hard to find, and the places they decided to settle down tended to be somewhat isolated and hard to reach, so at some point it becomes easier to just make things up based on what you heard from the few that had met them, and as such, myths.

 

"And please, do not harm the creatures of the valley. Even the guardians of the breathing oak will let us pass if asked by a child of the valley, and though they might seem savage to you this is their home, and we are guests within it. To remember that is important, as they do not take well to those they deem invaders rather than visitors to their territory."

 

Lyriel would take lead, the others would follow in what pattern they'd prefer.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@cwhip9,

 

When he opened his eyes, he would unfortunately not see the library that he had hoped, but instead what seemed like a section of cave where glowing, ghostly-looking mushrooms and brown moss covered some of the surface of the spacious place. Currently, he might also begin to feel his hooves get wet from the thin stream of onyx water that flowed in the middle of the room, depending on where he stood in the silent place.

 

"What do we have here?"

 

Or well, it Were silent, before a voice started to flow through the - surprisingly non-echoing - air towards him from something about two meters to his left side, though weren't possible to see right now.

 

"An Everspirit you are not... A dreamer perhaps? But why are you not in your room then? And how did you find the depths?"

 

A movement would be there, though not much more than a flicker and he'd be able to see something. Close to a wall, looking at him from shades too dark to be seen, were a being with three eyes (narrow ones, usual placement the first two, the third in the middle of the head with the *sides* pointing up and down instead of right and left). The eyes were hollow, as if holes cut in paper, yet Crescent should still be able to tell that whatever this creature were were currently focusing his gaze on him. The whispy tone aside, it were easy to tell still that it were a male voice at least.

 

"Who... Are you?"

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Jellal Fernandes,

 

A light were lit in Jelly's eyes again when Xander said that he'd help he, and she sent him a happy, fanged smile.

 

"Really? Could you help me find where he lives in town then perhaps sir? It'd have to be someplace empty until a few days ago when he moved here, strong walls and some space. Daddy wouldn't want a place where it's easy to break others out from if they are under arrest."

 

If she were a dog, she would have started wagging with her tail. Even though she hadn't found her dad et after all, she had found a helpful pony that might be able to help her so this wouldn't be so bad after all, and he had said he something did expeditions! Adventure! Jelly loved to hear about those sort of things, so perhaps she could ask something about that whilst they were looking around? Might be he didn't want to talk about it, but eh, that was just how things were sometimes, and at least she'd know then. Reason why it were always better too at least ask according to her mum: Cause it was better to be rejected than to wonder what might have been told if she Had asked.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@MDLineArt,

 

The hoof coming towards her face were something she were trained for. She had learned how to avoid hits, taking in what was aimed for her so she could get away fast. This were easy... On paper.

 

Finding herself in the situation for the first time, she found she were nearly petrified when it actually happened. To move felt like it would take the muscle power of a giant, and the speed of a well trained pegasus, not what the young gryphon possessed. She wasn't able to do anything and felt herself bracing for the hit that would likely fracture her beak at the very least.

 

Yet, somehow it didn't hit. The pony punched in a small section of the wall - cementing that yes, her beak would have been severely fractured if he had hit - and began to look around at the chanting mad being that were surrounding them. Then he started to hiss and just... Dropped her, telling her to go.

 

Why wasn't he caving in her face right now? Why did he let her go? Were he mad?

 

All good questions, but not one she cared for as she scuttled along and got up- Just to be faced with the armored guards blocking her and the other prisoners way. Just like they did on the other side as well.

 

On one side, a large diamond dog stood front in several layers of metal whilst three pegasi with spears stood ready above him and two unicorns flanked each of the dogs sides, magic swelling on their horn, prepared to counter anything the collected beings might try, with a armored earth pony and gryphon in front of both sets of unicorns.

 

On the other side, there were no diamond dog, but instead a pair of medium-sized dragons (think Spike standing on Twilight's head height) where one were yellow and bulky in it, whilst the other looked nimble and blue, both with the same mind-numbed look in their eyes as all the others and carrying long blades. Above them were two pegasi with spears, three earth ponies stood ready with blades and shields on each side, and behind them, two unicorns were preparing their magic.

 

"There's no escape... We're doomed..."

 

The whimpering in her voice were heard as she stepped backwards and gathered up with the other prisoners, all trying to get as far away from the weaponed foes as possible. A few seemed to have tried to go against them when the cultists first appeared, thinking they had a chance, but considering the two restrained ponies on the ground it seemed unlikely that they ever stood a chance against foes that were better organised, geared, and less malnourished. Shocker really, but it wasn't really the time to say *told you so* here.

 

Then the pony started to either to talk to himself or had worked himself into some delusion that the lot of them were having his back in a fight that couldn't be won, because he just ran at them shouting about not being alone. Either he were mad and thought that they were going to rally around him, or he were just literally mad, but it didn't matter. They were screwed anyway.

 

The group that Bashful had aimed himself towards would be the one with the diamond dog and as he approached them they all talked in unison and began their interception preparation.

 

"None escapes his w- "

 

Longer they didn't reach before the diamond dog suddenly had a red flash go off over his right eye and fell down. Then the unicorn to his right, then the earth pony, then the...

 

This ripple effect went on rapidly, all from the same method of the mark over their eye flashing brightly before they would fall unconscious on the floor. The pegasi was in some danger of falling on swords below, but the armor they were wearing seemed to have helped them avoid that fate, though a spear had gotten dangerously near to giving the diamond dog a permanent nose piercing.

 

It took less than 10 seconds before all the cultists inm sight had fallen, and after the clanks there had stopped they would be able to hear spread sounds of something alike that throughout random places away from where they now stood, though they likely didn't focus on that as much as what had just happened right here and now. Florence certainly didn't, and just starred at the mad pony with her beak almost dropping to the floor.

 

"H-How... What did you do?"

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"I think I understand it now."

 

She didn't fully, as many things were questionable in that still for her, but she saw his points, especially on the ppart of the sleep. She had heard from others that it were a sort of regulation, yet that was never how master had put it. In his words, *Sleeping is when you dream of new chaos* and she thought that true at the time, then later to mean that sleeping, and dreaming, were when your mind were set free, and it could go to places and see things you couldn't imagine normally.

 

Now, Senlin weren't the first to later say to her that sleeping itself were a sort of balance, and that it gave those that needed it time to replace their energy spent during the day, but his words carried more weight to her than fleeting words said by those who barely wanted to speak with her, or were said to others she overheard. They still needed time to contemplate, but it were what she tended to do when others slept anyway. Thinking over things, and see if she could find sense in the puzzles.

 

As for the part of the dreamers, that one were somewhat easier, as she could see that as dream magic, and magic she had an easy time thinking as mystical and not meant to be understood by somepony like her. She didn't use magic of her own after all, so knowing how it worked held little sense for her. That it were magic in dreams made it curious, but perhaps they'd have to talk with somepony like that before she could gather how that were like.

 

"Not all, but enough to think on it. Thank you?"

 

She cocked her head to the left, curious if she had used the phrase *thank you* right, but not finding an easy answer there either. it were one of those puzzling things that she still needed more pieces to complete, though she tried.

 

"Do you think we need a dreamer for what we're looking for?"

[MDLineArt 93]

@@Blitz Boom

 

Charging at the dog and pegisi, he watched a red burst of light, and saw every one of them falling to the ground.  The bodies piled upon one another, and even Bashful could not hide his confusion.  He leaned over one of the fallen cultists, and poked at them with his hoof, nudging the body a bit.  Out cold.

 

He turned to the prisoners, and walked to their terrified selves.  "I...  I don't know."  Did Giddon do it?  What happened?  No, this was no time to be distracted.  They needed to get out of here!

 

"We need to get moving."  Looking over the griffon, then to the cultists, and back again.  "Um... So you're not one of them?"

 

He moved along to some of the prisoners that tried to fight back with him, picking them up and throwing one over his back to carry them.

 

As they started down the hall to the exit, Bashful turned to to the Giffon.  "You coming?"

[Kira Dogeikage 230]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

"As I said, I don't really get out much, and I don't know many ponies around here, but I'll do what I can to help you out. I could probably use some sunshine anyways, and now that I think about it, I'm probably pretty low on food. Give me a moment, would you?" Xander said as he returned into his house to get some bits for shopping, leaving the door partially open.